Ragnaröck
by StardustDragon052
Summary: Even the greatest of heroes meet their match eventually... An AU version of Mega Man 9. Rated for violence and language.
1. Foreword

**_Ragnaröck_**  
At some point in time, a portion of _Mega Man_ fans began to theorize about the connections between the original and _X_ series. They believed that since the original _Mega Man_ series (in both English and Japanese releases) used Roman numerals until _Mega Man 7_ (Japan) and _Mega Man 8 _(elsewhere), that _Mega Man X_ was actually the tenth entry in the series ("X" is the Roman numeral for ten, after all), with the then-unreleased _Mega Man 9_ being a bridge of sorts between the two meta-series. It seemed somewhat plausible, but with the ninth classic _Mega Man_ not being a bridge, it seems that the _true _connections between both series won't be revealed anytime soon. But what if _Mega Man 9_ was the bridge between the two series? My fan-fiction is an AU take on that theory.

**About the Rating:  
**The story will be rated "T". There is violence, but it's pretty toned down (these _are_ robots, after all). There also is a small amount of swearing from time to time, mostly on the parts of the less moral characters.

**About the Story/Canon:  
**As I've said before, this story is an AU branch from the actual direction of the original Mega Man series. _Ragnaröck _takes place a few years after the events of _Rockman & Forte Mirai kara no Chōsensha _(_Mega Man & Bass: Challenger from the Future_) for the WonderSwan; original research on the part of other devoted fans places the aforementioned game at the year 2016 A.D., but I'm keeping the year at the ever-ambigious "20XX" anyway.

This fan-fiction does _not_ include the retcons made by _Mega Man Powered Up_; there are only _six_ original Robot Masters (not including Mega Man, Roll, and Proto Man) and they were all destroyed by the end of the first game. Because of that, the events of _Super Adventure Rockman _don't come into play (according to it, Dr. Light somehow repaired the original RMs and sent them out to help Mega Man on his quest). The China-only _Rockman Strategy _also has no influence on this story. Plot points from _Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters, Mega Man: The Wily Wars_, and the Game Boy (_Rockman World_) series are referenced.

**About the "Cataclysm" Theory:  
**For those of you who are familiar with the _Mega Man_-based webcomic _Bob and George_, you might remember a sprite movie called _The Cataclysm_, based off of a common myth pertaining to what happened to the characters of the original series. Sadly, the final few story arcs are influenced by that movie. Keiji Inafune himself debunked that theory in a September blog at Capcom Unity, but luckily for me, I do have a few twists in store for you all... Plus, it's _just_ a fan-fiction. It's not like any of this is canon anyways...

I do hope, however, that Inafune-san will clear up everything sometime in the future. His answer definitely was of little help.

**About the Characters:  
**Most of the characters in this fan-fiction are true to their video game counterparts (i.e. Proto Man's a carefree loner, Bass is blindingly proud, ambitious, and self-loathing, etc.), but some characters will seem OOC at times. _Especially_ Mega Man. Sorry, but I had to include some witty banter _somewhere_. For most part, Mega Man is true to his depiction in the games, so please don't go ballistic.

The main cast is made up of the familiar faces you've come to know and love, some with more importance than others. There are a few OCs, but few have any _real_ bearings on the story. It should be noted that a portion of the new characters (mainly the new RMs) are "what-if" counterparts to _Battle Network/Star Force_'s Net Navis.

**Final Words:  
**Ok then, enough of my ramblings. Hope that you all enjoy _Ragnaröck_. Feel free to give me feedback as well. If you have any questions or suggestions (I _am_ open to new ideas), don't hesitate to include them.


	2. Genesis

**A/N: ****Hopefully, you took the time to read the foreword. Well then, let's get cracking! If anyone is interested in being a beta reader, PM me.**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Mega__ Man._ _Mega Man _and all respective elementsare copyright Keiji Inafune and Capcom. I dare say that this story idea is copyright me, but I wouldn't want some lawsuit from Capcom.

* * *

**Chapter 1: Genesis**

_The year is 21XX. Thanks to one Dr. Cain, the fields of robotics and machinery has made mass bounds and leaps. Being somewhat discontent with his already astounding accomplishments, Cain looks for some "inspiration" for his next robotics project..._

An expedition group bolted through an abandoned jungle. They traveled at a swift pace, even though they were weighed down by heavy equipment. Their ranks were made up of both humans and robots, although there was more of the latter than the former. A few stopped and scouted out the area while the others pressed on ahead. It appeared that they were taking part in a reconnaissance mission of some sort.

An old man with a cane slowly walked up to the others, escorted by a few men. Once he stopped, the man coughed a few times. His escorts ran over to aid him, but the man merely waved them away, insisting that he was fine. He was balding and what little hair that remained was white, but he possessed a lengthy, mustache-and-beard combo that fell down to his upper chest. The man wore an intricate and majestic blue robe with red and green trims and a golden sash. He appeared somewhat weak and frail, but there was an odd liveliness to his dark grey eyes. The elder scanned the area, as if he was searching for something...

A short youth whose features were obscured by a helmet and pair of crimson goggles approached him and saluted. "Dr. Cain! Sir, we're scouting out the area as we speak."

"That's good to hear. If the energy signatures are right, then there's an old lab somewhere in the vicinity of this jungle. And private?"

The adolescent turned around with a puzzled look on his face. "Yes, sir?"

Dr. Cain's face was grim and solemn, almost as if he planned on scolding the younger man. The private began to tremble with anxiety as the older man approached him.

Dr. Cain slowly lowered his hand on the private's shoulder. "You don't have to be so formal. I'm not your superior." Dr. Cain turned around with a smile. The private initially looked confused, but soon laughed it off.

Just then, a few men and robots rushed back to the others. They were all garbed in clothing similar to the private.

The first one to arrive, a human, put his hands on his knees and gasped for breath. He slowly rose up to face Dr. Cain, and then saluted. "Sir, we've just found what appears to be an abandoned complex. Shall we check it out?"

"Yes. Proceed. Notify us if you find _anything_ of importance." Dr. Cain, although he was elderly, issued his order with the authority of a general on the battlefield.

"Roger!" The majority of the group rushed back in the direction they came from.

The man who delivered the message shook his head. "If I wanted _this_ kind of exercise, I'd go to the gym!" He took a deep breath and sprinted to rejoin his already far-off comrades.

Dr. Cain let out a soft laugh before contemplating the situation. _Have we finally found it? _pondered the old man, burying himself in his thoughts.

Inside the complex, there wasn't much but ruined and primitive computers. Cobwebs and dust covered the walls, ceilings, and floors.

The lone female of the group was clearly disgusted. "Eww! What _filth_! Disgusting! Now my nails are dirty! Ick!" Little did she notice that a lock of her fiery hair was covered in cobwebs.

One robot expressed a mild amusement at his partner's comment and predicament. "Shut up. A little dirt never hurt anyone."

The woman childishly stuck her tongue out at the smirking robot. The mechanical man returned his attention to his surroundings. "Just look at this place. So... _old_. How long do you guys think that it was here?"

A bespectacled male answered him. "From the looks of it, at least half a century, if not more."

Three more robots searched the area. "Is there even _anything_ here?"

"Maybe the readings were an anomaly."

Another male decided that nothing of importance resided in the building. He leaned against a wall, clearly tired. "Man, I'm spent. There's really _nothing_ here."

A robot passed by the male, an odd device in-hand. Several beeping noises came from the gizmo in his hand. "No... there's definitely _something_ here. We just haven't found it yet."

The whiner huffed before falling back against an unseen switch. The wall behind him started to collapse as he continued to lean back, not knowing that a hole now existed in place of the wall.

"WHOA!!!" The man tumbled down a hidden staircase. He lost most of his materials and equipment on the way down. The last thing heard was a muffled cry along the lines of "HOLY SHI-aaaaaaaaaa!!!" accompanied by several thuds and the clanging of various metals.

Obviously, the man's wails were so loud that the entire regiment heard the commotion. "This way!" The leader motioned towards the passageway as he and the rest of the group chased after their comrade.

After what seemed to be eternity and beyond, they arrived at an unforeseen destination: an underground computer lab. A _functional_, high-tec, underground computer lab.

The group leader signaled to a robot and the female. "You two. Go get Dr. Cain. _Now_."

"Roger!" As the two ascended the lofty flight of steps, a message lit up a screen in the lab.

A figure appeared on the screen, but the bewildered viewers couldn't seem to make out who it was.

"Greetings. I assume that if you're watching this message then my time has come. And I can longer protect _him_..."

More of the figure was revealed. From the voice, one could assume that the message was given by a male. His voice was calm, but underlined by a tone of unbearable sadness. He had the appearance of a human and wore gilded and crimson body armor that was in a state of critical disrepair. His face was not only obscured by the shadows but by a pair of black sunglasses. He appeared to be sitting in a chair of some sort.

"Heh, it seems that even coming here could not keep away intruders. Very well. As you might have noticed, there's a door situated in the back of this room." The figure pointed towards the far end of the room.

The recon unit, with awe in their eyes, turned their heads in the direction of the man's finger. The male resumed his speech.

"You probably want to head towards it, open it, and look inside, right? Too bad. What lies in that room is your world's only hope for a bright future and with every discovery, there's a story behind it. Besides, that door that you're curiously inspecting-"

Two robots were furiously tugging at the door, trying to force it open.

"-won't unlock until this transmission ends. So then, let me humor you with a story. One that begins with a beginning, a middle, and an _end_. But let's start from the middle, shall we? There's a saying that those who don't learn from the past are doomed to repeat it, so I heed you to pay attention. The year was 20XX..."

* * *

_The year is 20XX. Humans and their creations, advanced robots, co-exist in a life of peace, prosperity, and unity. Together, they strive to build an utopia for all people, man and machine. However, just as there is peace, there will always be war to break those bonds..._

In a metropolis, somewhere in the United States... Many robots and humans traversed through the streets, carrying on with their usual lives.

One individual, in particular, stuck out like a sore thumb: an adolescent boy with spiky brown hair. His eyes were cerulean and his features were soft and gentle. He wore a blue hoodie with white stripes and brown cargo pants. On the back of his hoodie was a peculiar emblem: a "L". He strode through the streets with his hands in his pockets and a bright smile on his face.

The times were a peaceful one and everyone managed to get along. Little did they know that their everyday normality would soon come crashing down upon their heads...

* * *

A/N: Just a short introduction to the main story. Believe me, things will start to pick up from here.


	3. Lazy Days

**A/N: **Well, it's not much, but here's the next chapter.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Mega__ Man._ _Mega Man _and all respective elements are copyright Keiji Inafune and Capcom. I dare say that this story idea is copyright me, but I wouldn't want some lawsuit from Capcom.

* * *

**_Ragnaröck_**

**Chapter 2: Lazy Days**

The adolescent male continued to trek through the city at a brisk pace with a cheery expression. He weaved and bobbed through the crowded streets with an almost ninja-like agility. At an intersection, he stopped and began to shuffle through his pockets, eventually pulling out a thin strip of paper; a list of some sort.

"He expects me to buy _this_?!" His eyes browsed over the list skeptically as he read items off of the list. "Just what does he need all of this for? What is he making, a _nuke_?"

He sighed, scratching his forehead and stuffing the list into his pockets before strolling across the intersection. The male grabbed his hood and pulled it over his head, obscuring his face. A few blocks later, he reached a shady store in a dark alleyway.

The smell of smoke filled the air. The boy coughed as smoke filled his lungs and stung his eyes. He was now in the slums. He sighed. The boy found it sad to see that even in times like this, some people _still _had it rough.

The boy looked out of the corner of his eyes, as if no one should have known about the location of the shop. He took one last look around, opened the door, and swiftly walked inside. The door closed with a thud.

The boy was greeted by the shop's owner, a middle-aged man known to all simply as "Gearhead". It wasn't his real name, but no one ever bothered to ask him about it. Not that he'd tell anyway.

"Hey Rock. Back again?" the old shopkeeper chuckled.

"Afraid so." The boy, going by the name of Rock, lifted the hood off of his head. He ran a hand through his now-unruly hair and then stared at the man. Cerulean eyes met faded hazel ones.

Gearhead _was_ old, but in more of a metaphorical sense than a physical one. Most of his hair was already a whitish-gray color, an oddity considering that he hadn't even reached the age of forty. But he was wise, understanding, and venerable, perhaps even more so than one should be at his time.

Rock smiled as the "old" man shook his head. This wasn't the first time Rock had been there. In fact, Rock visited the man quite often for the past few years. The two, despite the age gap, had become quite close.

"What does he need this time?"

"Just the parts on this list." Rock handed the paper to the man.

He eyed the paper, quizzically looked at Rock, and then returned to scanning the list. "You're joking, right? What does he need all of this for?"

The boy shrugged. "Beats me. We don't know anything. He's been abnormally secretive of late."

The shopkeeper began to order the items off of the list. Rock tapped his feet lightly on the ground and folded his arms across his chest as he waited. After a few minutes, Gearhead had finished gathering the materials.

"That's 250000 Zenny."

"_That _much?" Rock facepalmed and then slowly ran his hand down his face for exaggerated effect. "Remind me next time to have _him_ come and buy this instead." The old man chuckled as the boy handed him the money.

"Um... are you going to carry this?" Gearhead struggled to lift up the bag; apparently, it was _quite_ heavy.

"I could manage, but it'd probably be better if you just send it to the address."

"Will do." The man placed the bag of parts onto a transportation device. Within moments, the bag warped out of the shop in a blinding white light.

Rock began to walk out of the shop. Gearhead called after him. "Hope that you won't have to come back for awhile," joked the man. "This is what? The _fifth_ time this week?" Rock merely waved his hand as he exited in the same way that he entered; in secrecy. Outside, Rock shook his head. He probably would be back.

Rock walked towards the town square, hoping to enjoy some leisure time. After a short stroll, he reached his destination. Rock spotted a nearby bench and lazily plopped down on it.

He was tired, and _that_ was an understatement. Running innumerable long-distance errands with equally-uncountable bags of heavy robotic parts did take its toll eventually.

Rock checked a nearby clock. "6:30 p.m. Hm... I guess that I still have some time."

Rock gazed at a large, nearby monument. It seemed to be carved out of granite and adorned with sapphires and diamonds. It was a showcasing of the city's hero, Mega Man.

A slight grin appeared on Rock's face as he scratched the back of his head. "It's a little bit over-the-top, don't you think?"

With a prolonged yawn, the boy slowly closed his eyes. Just as sleep started to overtake him, Rock awoke to a peculiar sound: the screams of a female.

"Wah!" Rock jolted off of the bench, nearly losing his footing, and looked around. Finally, he found the origin of the noise: a young girl, probably close to his age, being chased by thugs. Looking closer, it appeared that the neanderthals were armed. To the tooth.

"That _definitely _does not look good." Rock walked in their direction, ensuring that he traveled with both haste and stealth. By the time Rock had reached the party-in-question, they already had the girl backed up near a fence in a dark alleyway with no means of escape.

"You're going to give it to us, y'know." The leader of the third-rate criminals slowly approached the young girl, knife in-hand. He twirled the blade in his hand, threw it upwards, and caught it with relative ease as he came ever closer to the girl.

He was stopped immediately as a pebble smacked him in the back of the head.

"Excuse me, sir," came a voice from the far side of the alley. "I'll ask _nicely_. Leave the fair maiden alone.

* * *

A/N: Yup. Not much happened, but these first few chapters are exposition. Things will definitely heat up before the chapters break double-digits. Promise.


	4. A Knight in Shining Armor

**A/N:** Enjoy! Things will start heating up from here on out.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Mega__ Man._ _Mega Man _and all respective elements are copyright Keiji Inafune and Capcom. I dare say that this story idea is copyright me, but I wouldn't want some lawsuit from Capcom.

* * *

**_Ragnaröck_**

**Chapter 3: A Knight in Shining Armor**

The thugs turned around. Their clothing was torn and tattered, but their style remained fairly consistent: blue biker jackets over white T-shirts. They looked quite ridiculous.

The men took a good look at the brash figure behind them. It was Rock, with his hood pulled over his head and his arms crossed.

"Eh? And who might you be, _little_ man?" The thug smirked at Rock before letting out an arrogant guffaw.

His mockery of the boy _was_ accurate. The man towered over Rock, plus he had a weapon. To the man, guts wouldn't be enough.

His taunt was met only by an icy stare. His underlings snarled at the boy. The wind blew in the distance as Rock began to speak.

"I _don't_ want trouble. Let her go."

At first the men had on straight faces, but soon enough, they gave in to laughter. The leader took the most pleasure out of Rock's threat.

"That's a laugh! You? A _shrimp_? Don't want trouble, eh? This isn't the sandbox, kid! Now, go home to mommy and let the men have their fun."

Rock couldn't hold it in anymore. A small chuckle escaped from his mouth. The thugs looked at each other, unsure of what to say.

"What's so funny, punk? Is the prospect of death entertaining to you?"

"No, but you guys are _clearly_ in over your heads. Really, it's quite sad." Within seconds, the faint grin on Rock's face was swapped for a stern frown.

"You could have done so much more with your lives instead of resorting to petty crimes." Rock shook his head.

The comment clearly struck a nerve with the band of self-proclaimed tough guys. One man barked at Rock.

"What? What was that?! You think that you're man enough to fight with us? Huh? Well, you asked for it!"

He lunged at Rock with a metal pipe. "You sunnuva---agh!"

In a flash, the unexpected happened. The man's furious attempt to bash the boy's head in was cut off by a fist in his gut. The man staggered, then collapsed.

Rock wiped his hands off on his pants. "Well... I told you, didn't I?" Rock inquired as he looked at the other assailants.

The other thugs were shocked. Many of their mouths were agape. Jimmy the Thrasher was taken out in the blink of an eye, by a _kid_! It was if they had hit a new low.

Rock pointed at them as he guided his attacker's limp body towards a wall with his foot.

"Last warning. Let the girl go... _now._"

Their leader was sweating like there was no tomorrow. If he chickened out, _especially_ against a snot-nosed brat, he'd lose any respect he'd gained in the city's underground. He couldn't back down, even if their opponent was some kind of man-beast.

"That's it men!" The boss tried to summon up false courage. "We don't let _anyone_ knock us around, even if they're children! Kill the runt! KILL HIM!"

And just like that, the ruse worked. The remaining members of the gang were spurred into action against a mere child. Apparently, their boss' "valor" invigorated them. Roars of "Bash his head in!", "Rip him to shreds!", "Tear him limb from limb!", and "Avenge Jimmy!" were heard as they rushed Rock.

The girl, feeling guilty for the bloodbath that would ensue, began to bite her nails nervously and writhe in fear. Whoever this kid was, he _wouldn't_ be walking alive out of it.

Rock shrugged and sighed. "I really wish that I didn't have to resort to violence." _And here we go, _thought the young boy, bracing himself for battle.

The first man descended upon Rock with a baseball bat. He was aiming for the boy's cranium. Rock side-stepped with no effort whatsoever. The wind blew in Rock's stern face as he taunted the thug. "Nice breeze."

"Don't toy with me, you punk!" The man raised his weapon above his head, readying himself for another swing.

Rock ducked under this attempt and flashed a grin. "Oh... so close!"

The man swung again. Rock rolled out the way. The man was becoming more enraged by the second. His blows were becoming sloppier. It was only a matter of time.

The latest swing completely missed the mark and the bat broke in two as it collided with a wall. Rock used this small window of opportunity to his advantage. Rock lifted the man by the collar of his jacket and tossed him with a motion reminiscent of a judo competition. The man bounced off a wall and landed in the streets with a crash. He was out cold.

Rock slapped his face against his forehead. _Whoops! Aheh heh heh... I guess that I overdid it a bit._

"He got Rudy!"

Another thug lunged at Rock, this time with his bare fists. Rock extended his leg and tripped him. Of course, the end results were similar: the man ended up unconscious in a trash can.

"Not Johnny! That little - !" Two men were cut off as Rock side-kicked them into a dumpster.

"Watch the language," scolded Rock as he brushed some dirt off of his pants.

Rock then turned as three more men tried to jump him. He performed a backflip and kicked one in the face during his descent. The other two both ran at him from opposite sides. Rock shook his head. He waited until they were so close that he could feel their breath on his neck. It was _quite _revolting.

Rock leapt as the two men whacked each other with metal pipes. The _oldest_ trick in the book. The two men groaned. One was hit in the stomach; the other, in the family jewels. Rock swore that one let out a high-pitched yelp. Rock dental clicked while he continued to soar through the air.

As Rock landed gracefully, he elbow-smashed another thug's stomach and then delivered a potent backfist to the man's face; this one had tried to slowly creep up on him. Stealth really wasn't that guy's strong suit. He paid the price of his foolhardiness with a few teeth.

They had numbers, but they weren't smart. _Not at all_. Rock had the definitive advantage. For one, he was a small target. And a nimble one at that. Plus, he was much stronger than he was given credit for. Although he was fighting against a large band of armed opponents, the alley's design meant that they'd be limited to - at the _most_ - three-on-one skirmishes.

For Rock, handling a situation like this one was like a child learning how to walk; it came to him naturally. Too bad that this ragtag group wouldn't figure it out until it was too late. He had really wished that they had just given up when he had given them the option to do so.

As the fight raged on for minutes, the numbers began to dwindle. If Rock had qualms about fighting, he _sure _wasn't showing them. Then again, these _were _criminals...

One last thug ran at Rock from a blindspot. Rock turned around just in time to see the man's wooden club connect square on with the side of his head. The weapon fragmented into many splinters and a loud whack could be heard. The girl gasped. The leader pumped his arm into the air. Rock didn't flinch.

He merely stared down the man, who was bewildered by what had just transpired. Sure, the kid was darting back and forth like a toddler on Red Bull and making mincemeat out of people twice his age and size, but _no one_ - not even this devil child - could endure a direct blow to the head from a dense stick of wood.

Rock averted his gaze from the man for a second to let out a small, condescending grunt. The man took offense to this and soon enough, he was violently swinging at Rock - this time, with his fists.

The brown-haired youth wasted no time with this one. He parried one of the man's wild swings and then karate-chopped him in the back of the neck. The man doubled over in agonizing pain before falling unconscious.

"Sorry."

And then... there was three. The boy, the girl, and the remaining thug who was quaking so much that he probably would need a fresh pair of underwear when this whole ordeal was over.

Rock slowly approached the leader.

"Please. Use you head and think rationally. The rest of your gang will probably be cooped up in a hospital for weeks. It's pointless. Now could you _please _call it quits?" Rock pointed the groaning and moaning bodies lying in the alleyway around them.

The last man standing surveyed the carnage. The boy was right; his crew had been decimated. A snowball in hell had a better chance than he did against that... kid. No, he wasn't a kid. He was a monster. A wolf in sheep's clothing. He had underestimated the boy and now, he was in deep.

"D-d-don't m-make me k-kill her. D-don't make m-me!"

Fear had taken him. He was stuttering. He ran towards the girl, grabbed her, and put the knife up to her neck. She screamed as her and Rock's eyes widened.

"G-give yourself up... and I won't harm a single hair on her pretty little head." The boss grinned. He had just gained an advantage and regained his confidence. _Why_ didn't he think of that earlier?

Rock saw that he had no other option. If he made even the slightest of advances on the man, the girl wouldn't survive. It was too steep a risk to take, even for Rock.

"Ok... fine... you win. Just let the girl go... and I'll concede defeat. No struggling." Rock put his hands up.

The thug leader laughed. "Glad you see it my way. Now _back_ off."

Rock obliged and slowly moved away from the pair. He had to think quickly. Time was of the essence, and he could only imagine what horrible fate was going to befall the girl.

Just then, he saw something out of the corner of his eye - the same pebble he had thrown minutes ago. "That might do the trick..." Rock mumbled to himself.

"What was that?" the ruffian inquired.

"Nothing. Nothing at all. I was just wondering what you were planning on doing with her." Rock had to distract him or else he'd have no chance of rescuing the girl.

"Curious, eh? Haven't you heard the saying 'curiosity _killed_ the cat'? Anyway..."

The man began to ramble on, shifting his attention every few seconds from his captive to the weapon and Rock. Rock took this momentary speech to quickly snatch the rock and hide it behind his back.

The man then turned away from Rock to look at the girl. Now was Rock's chance. He flung the rock at the man with blistering speed and uncanny accuracy.

"Heads up!"

The thug turned around just in time to have the rock smack him dead center on his head. The impact wasn't skull-shattering, but it was just enough to disorient the man, loosening his grip on the girl and his weapon.

Rock ran at the man, cartwheeled, and then leapt into the air. Vaulting over the girl, Rock delivered a powerful flying side kick to the man's head. The thug hit the ground with a thud. His body convulsed a few times before the man lost consciousness.

Letting out a heaving sigh and pulling the hood off of his head, Rock walked over towards the girl and extended his hand. "Are you ok?" He asked with a bright smile.

She instantly jumped at him and embraced him. Rock's cheeks turned the color of a tomato. He tensed up and tried to mutter something coherent. Her head was buried in his chest as she mumbled a statement of gratitude. "Thanks" was all that he could make out.

Rock looked down. It was the first chance he really got a good look at her. The girl _was _around his age. Her hair was odd; it was tied in a lavish and elongated ponytail... but it was an otherworldly pink.

She finally looked up at Rock. Cerulean eyes met with crimson eyes. Her eyes were deep, like an ocean; he could have stared into those mesmerizing orbs for eons...

Finally, Rock broke the tension. "Um... could you _please_ stop hugging me?"

The girl suddenly broke away from Rock and backed up a few inches.

"Oops! I'm sorry!" The girl clapped her hands around her mouth and bowed. She was blushing as well.

"I'm Rock. What's your name?"

"..." She didn't answer.

"What? You _don't_ have a name?" Rock put up a facade of surprise.

She looked up at the boy, apparently insulted. "No! I _have_ a name."

Honestly, Rock didn't see what was so difficult about telling someone your name, especially if that said person not only showed courtesy by giving his name first, but also saved your life from a bunch of degenerates that would eventually find themselves in the slammer. Besides, he was only trying to lighten the mood. Maybe it was just his naivety...

"It's Rose." Rock looked at her and raised an eyebrow. It was a normal name, but something was odd about her. It didn't make much sense to him, but Rock felt a weird vibe...

"It's a beautiful name" was the response the girl received.

Rose smiled back at him. "Why thank you. Rock's a nice name too."

Rock grinned and scratched the back of his head. "Thanks, I guess." He couldn't tell if that was a compliment or if the girl was jesting. Sometimes, he wished that he had a more common name, like Bob or George...

"Why were those jokers after you in the first place?" Rock interrogated. "It seemed like you had something of value."

"For one, like most thugs, these guys wanted money. They also saw this." Rose held up a flower-shaped pendant. "They probably thought that they could steal this and make some quick cash off of it."

"All of this, for a pendant?" Rock was somewhat perplexed by this revelation. The lengths that some people went to for such petty materialistic gains... it was _barbaric_.

Rose noticed Rock's solemn expression and smiled at him. "Don't worry about it. You saved me, remember?"

"So I did." With that Rock grinned, telling himself not to let the ordeal perturb him.

Rock could hear a few sounds in the distance. He couldn't make it out, but it sounded like police sirens. Without thinking, he grabbed Rose by the wrist and gestured for her to get behind him. The sounds were increasing in decibel level. He could hear footsteps.

Finally, a few figures appeared in the alleyway. Most were your standard-fare police officers. They hastily began to pick up the bodies of the unconscious gang members.

The final figure... was odd. Rock felt a similar vibe to when he clearly examined Rose. The figure was a male and he seemed to be around the same age as Rose, if not a tad bit older. His hair was a pale grey and tied in an abnormally short ponytail. He looked somewhat emotionless. There was something off with this fellow, but Rock couldn't figure out what.

Cerulean eyes met jet-black eyes as the boy glanced at Rock on rout to the girl's location. His eyes could only be described as a balance of two opposing forces of nature.

"Rose! There you are! I've been looking everywhere! You know that we can't be out here dawdling. We have plans you know." The male sounded concerned, but his face was still quite solemn.

Rose looked apologetic. "I'm sorry! I... uh... kinda got into some trouble..."

The boy sighed as he stroked his chin. "What kind of trouble?"

"Thugs."

The boy shook his head and sighed again. It was just then that he noticed a pile of unconscious men lying on the ground. "You need to be more careful. Anyway, it's a good thing I called the police."

Rock interrupted the conversation. "Excuse me? Do you know this girl?"

The male turned around, as expressionless as ever. "Hm? And you are?"

"Hey, be nice. He's the one who saved me." Rose put her hands on her hips as she frowned at the boy.

The guy walked toward Rock and extended his hand. "Well then. You have my gratitude. You saved my sister."

Rock pondered about that last remark, but didn't let it bother him too much. Rock eagerly returned the handshake. As he looked up, Rock noticed that the boy was smiling.

"No problem. I'm just glad that I could help. My name's Rock. And you are?"

"Squall."

_What an odd name,_ thought Rock. _Then again, I really can't be talking_.

"C'mon Rose. Let's go." Squall was already walking towards the sunset. The radiant and genuine smile he had given to Rock had already faded.

"In a second!" The youth gestured for her brother to go on ahead. Squall nodded and continued to trek at a brisk pace.

Rose walked over toward Rock. "I know that I said this already, but thanks for saving me."

"Don't mention - " Rock was abruptly cut off as the girl kissed him on the cheek.

"Bye! It was nice meeting you!" And with that, the girl was gone as well. All that remained was the fading echo of a young girl's innocent giggle.

Rock merely stood there, thunderstruck. "Did... did she just kiss me?" Rock slowly raised his hand up to the spot where Rose's lips met his face. His cheeks flushed.

"Yup, she did." It was a token of gratitude that he wasn't expecting. Rock smiled. He _definitely_ had a story to tell when he got home.

Squall and Rose were already a few blocks away. "Nice kid." Squall's face was grave, even more so than usual.

"Yeah... he _was_." Rose looked down towards the street, crestfallen. Her face was quite pale and her voice was shaky.

Squall beckoned to his sister. "We'd... we'd better get going..."

Halfway across the city... on top of the highest building... sat a shrouded figure.

"The stragglers are _finally _out of the area. Everything's set."

A small malevolent chuckle escaped from his lips.

"Ok then. So, do I have the signal?" He waited for an answer, his fingers uncontrollably twitching.

"Gotcha." The figure stood up, raised a hand towards the air, and snapped his fingers.

"And... here... we... go."

Only the sound of mad laughter could be heard across the city...

* * *

**A/N: **This is where I'm concerned about keeping Rock in-character. He definitely doesn't seem like the type of person who would taunt his foes as he fights them. Oh well...


	5. Easy Come

**_Ragnaröck_**

**Disclaimer**: I don't own _Mega__ Man._ _Mega Man _and all respective elements are copyright Keiji Inafune and Capcom. I dare say that this story idea is copyright me, but I wouldn't want some lawsuit from Capcom.

* * *

**Chapter 4: Easy Come...**

Rock was on his way back home. It was dawn when he started his extensive list of errands and now, it was sunset.

"Man, _what_ a day." Rock stretched and then yawned. He had gotten used to this life.

But that encounter with those two kids - Rose and Squall - really unnerved him. No, it wasn't just the fact that the girl kissed him. Something was odd about them. It felt so familiar, almost like déjà vu. Rock just couldn't place his finger on it...

The earth began to rumble violently. "Whoa! What's going on?" It was an earthquake, but it wasn't natural. The magnitude was way too high for a metropolitan area like this.

Rock lost his footing and landed on his rear. "Ow."

Rock's eyes widened when he finally stood arose. A myriad of missiles sailed through the air at unfathomable speeds. And they were headed in every direction possible. The innumerable volley of missiles slammed into streets and buildings... and detonated.

"No..."

Another tremor. No, multiple tremors. Whatever was going on, it was no accident.

Screams filled the air as thousands of civilians rushed in the direction opposite of the explosions. Rock watched as buildings collapsed and debris flew like shuriken through the air. Another tremor just passed under the city.

Rock's eyes darted from place to place. He desperately looked around, seeking the origin of the missile fire. His search was halted when he saw something out of the corner of his eye: a man trapped under a pile of rubble.

To make matters worse, an unfinished and unstable building was perched right above him. If another tremor or explosion occurred, the word "pancake" would receive a new meaning.

Rock's eyes hardened. "Well... it's like they say. Easy come, easy go." Rock inhaled for a few seconds before closing his eyes and letting out a deep breath.

Rock raised his arm to the sky. A navy-blue glove appeared on his right arm out of thin air. Rock pressed a button on the glove and he was instantly bathed in a white light. Particles of energy swarmed around Rock's body. His hoodie and cargo pants were covered in white light, and then swapped for a blue jumpsuit. Another navy glove appeared on his left arm. Two boots of corresponding color appeared on his legs. Rock then extended his right arm out as a navy helmet formed. Rock slowly grabbed the helmet with both hands and slowly placed it on his head. Adjusting the helmet one last time, the boy looked up. The sun reflected off of the square gem on his helmet with a triumphant gleam. He was ready.

For the time being, Rock ceased to exist. In his place, stood a hero. Mega Man was back.

The Blue Bomber's eyes closed as columns of data scrolled across his cybernetic brain. All of his biomechanical functions, systems, and energy levels were normal. As he opened his eyes, the boy's bionic eyes lit up, signifying that his weapons and targeting systems were now online.

"It's good to be back." With fierce determination in his eyes and a smile on his face, Mega Man dashed towards the civilian.

Cries of relief and glee rang in the youth's ears as he darted towards his target. It was to be expected. Rock hadn't been in that form for some time. But this was no time for him to get sentimental over nostalgia. Mega Man had a crisis on his hands, and he had to work quickly.

Another tremor. The metal structure creaked as it began to crumble. Mega Man estimated that he only had ten seconds before the entire building would give way. It was now or never.

Mega Man pounced, tucked himself into a roll, and then slid to reach the man's location. With haste, the youth began to toss the debris away from the man.

Five seconds...

Mega Man wasn't sure he was going to make it as he finally freed the civilian from his rocky prison.

Two seconds...

"Hold on." With the man's nod as a tactic sign of understanding, Mega Man lifted the man on his shoulder and immediately propelled himself down the street. In the background, steel girders creaked as the structure fell.

Mega Man lowered the man onto the street. The man thanked Mega Man and then ran away from the ensuing onslaught. "Get to safety!" Mega Man yelled as the man scurried off.

The blue-clad youth made his way further into the pandemonium. By the time night had fallen, he had evacuated most of the civilians. Mega Man now stood in an abandoned residential district. Mega Man readied himself. He had a feeling that he would be jumped sooner or later...

His suspicions _were_ correct. His acute sense of hearing didn't fail him. Something was lurking in the shadows of the night. Within several minutes, he could tell that he was surrounded.

A volley of plasma bullets came from several different directions. "Bingo." With a sly smile, Mega Man's right arm transmuted into a arm cannon - the Mega Buster. As Mega Man dodged the bombardment, he began to make out what exactly he was fighting against.

The mobile assailants were green-clad robots, similar in size and shape to him. Slung on their arms were shields, precautions against Mega Man's own projectiles. _Great... Sniper Joes_.

Situated on the ground were... yellow hard hats with green pluses on them. Every once in awhile, a little face would peep out of the helmet to spit energy bullets at Mega Man. _Mets too? I should have seen this coming._

Mega Man cartwheeled behind a rock and formulated a battle plan. But another thought entered his head. Mega Man gazed at his surroundings. The person he was expecting wasn't there. Mega Man pondered for a second, but the gunfire roused the Blue Bomber from his musings.

Mega Man charged out from behind his safe haven, shoulder-tackling a Sniper Joe and stripping it of its shield in the process. Mega Man deflected a few shots via his newly obtained shield before flinging it at another Joe like a boomerang.

The Joe was decapitated midway through the procedure of readying a hand grenade. The resulting explosion wiped out the aforementioned Joe, along with a few Mets.

The Blue Bomber fired a few plasma bullets only to have them deflected by the shield of a Joe.

Of course, Sniper Joes didn't really have faces to begin with - only a singular red eye rocking back and forth behind a black visor - but Mega Man was sure that if they did, this one would be wearing a cocky smirk. He could see why a particular person loathed Sniper Joes in the first place - fighting them was a pain.

Mega Man slid under the legs of the Sniper Joe, blasting it with a few plasma bullets through the abdomen and legs for good measure. As he rose, Mega Man punched another unsuspecting Joe in the visor. Its helmet shattered as the Joe fell to its knees. A couple of Mets opened fire upon the Blue Bomber.

Seeing an idle grenade, Mega Man picked it up and chucked it under the helmet of one Met that was too slow to retreat into its hardhat. It _wasn't_a pretty sight. Yellow shards zipped through the air like shrapnel. Mega Man was smart enough to duck, but others weren't so lucky. Several Mets and Joes were impaled by the charred remains of their comrade. Irony could be such a cruel mistress...

Another grenade was thrown in Mega Man's direction. He stumbled as he narrowly avoided the blast radius. Hiding behind another elevated slab of earth, the Blue Bomber took a small breather. The number of foes was whittling down, but it was monotonous. This had to end and _quick_.

Mega Man began drawing energy from the solar-powered reactor located within his body. He began to glow a luminous shade of blue as he held the charge. With a battle cry, Mega Man resumed his assault. Mega Man released his fully-charged buster shot, which managed to catch the legs of Sniper Joe mid-flight. Without its legs, the Sniper Joe smashed into the streets and slumped down.

Mega Man flipped over the downed Joe, grabbing it by the neck and launching it towards four Joes, all armed with grenades. The upper half of the Joe's body came in contact with the grenades mere seconds after the Joes chucked them. As the resulting explosion enveloped most of the remaining robots, Mega Man cringed, hoping that the city wouldn't blame him for the collateral damage.

Mega Man rolled to avoid the wide swing of a Sniper Joe's shield. That was new. Most Sniper Joes were stationery once they found a spot to their liking. Either that or they uncontrollably jumped up and down. With the exception of a headband-donning Joe that tried to crush him via a gigantic trailer, Joes were generally easy fodder to pick off.

"Must be a new model."

He was correct. This particular Joe, while still draped in green armor, had a differently designed helmet and body armor with white accents. To add to it, this Joe's shield had white trims and was fastened to a retractable blade that gleamed like the stars in the blackened night sky.

"Well... that _is_ new."

The blade popped out as the Joe tried to hack away at the Blue Bomber. The blade cut through the earth like a hot knife through butter. Mega Man cartwheeled out of the way as the Joe opened fire. The resulting bullets were much more potent and quicker than that of a regular Joe.

Mega Man frowned, realizing that he was in a standstill. He could probably play "tag" with the Joe all night long if he had to, but he figured that he wouldn't be able to accomplish anything if he was on the defensive. Mega Man couldn't afford to make any mistakes. He needed an opening.

A subsequent horizontal slash from the Joe missed. That was it_. _Mega Man hastily snap-kicked the shield into the air. The Joe's left arm went soaring with it. Not giving the Sniper Joe a chance to recover, Mega Man unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks, culminating with a sweep of the legs. Now was his chance.

Mega Man plunged his fist into the Joe's chest and pulled out... well, he could only _assume_ that it was the Joe's cold, metallic equivalent of a heart - a low-powered nuclear reactor. The Joe fell silent as its red eye faded to black.

Mega Man stood up and wiped sweat from his brows. That was the last of them. He wasn't drained, but the fight still was tedious. For precautions, Mega Man performed a systems check. Everything seemed to be normal.

Mega Man checked his surroundings. After a few minutes, Mega Man's posture eased up. The boy smiled. The town was in shambles, but it'd persevere.

Or at least, it would _if _this was the end of the mysterious attack. If the onslaught did continue, there wouldn't be a city left to save.

"I'd better hurry." Mega Man's adamant resolve fired up again as he darted down the streets. It was "do-or-die time", and Mega Man definitely didn't want anyone to experience the latter.

A few blocks down, the Blue Bomber came to a screeching halt. A blue and purple saucer hovered above him in the night sky. "I knew it" was the stoic statement that came out of Mega Man's mouth. The top of the saucer opened as a figure slowly crept out.

"Wily!"

Mega Man gritted his teeth and tensed up as his worse fears became a realization. There he was, the one man that set the gears of chaos into motion. If Albert Einstein went insanely evil, and lost most of his hair in the process, the end result would be Dr. Albert W. Wily. It was this man who turned his own brothers against society, and thus, forced a simple lab assistant robot named Rock to give up his peaceful life... _forever_.

So many people had suffered due to one man's selfish ambition. So much blood was spilled. Mega Man's heart still hurt from the days that he had to do in his own brothers. His _family_.

And yet, every time he managed to stop this diabolical madman, Wily would always escape to continue his evil machinations from the depths of madness. Mega Man never truly held a grudge against Wily, but the fact that Wily would always return dealt a blow to Mega Man's confidence. Mega Man always strove for justice and peace, but how could he usher in a new era of change if one man continued to the tilt the earth on its axis?

"Ah... if it isn't Mega Man. Long time no see. I'm sorry that we can't play our usual game tonight, but I _do_ have a tight schedule to keep. Nothing will stop me from world domination. _Nothing_! Mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

After ending his cliché bout of manic laughter, the old man wiggled his eyebrows. A cocky grin appeared on his face. With one more cycle of laughter, Wily hastily closed the hatch on his saucer. The saucer slowly floated away from Mega Man's location as it disappeared from view in the pitch-black sky.

"Wait! Wily, come back!" Mega Man began to run after Wily, but to no avail. Three blasts of dark purple energy smacked the ground mere centimeters from Mega Man's feet.

"Sorry, pal. I'm afraid that the good doctor doesn't have the time for a normal routine. You heard him. He _is_ a _very_ busy man."

The Blue Bomber turned around to face a shadowy figure sitting a few meters away on a elevated piece of earth and examining one of his hands. The person hopped off of his impromptu chair and approached the blue-clad youth.

Mega Man's eyes widened. The mystery man's attire consisted of a blue jumpsuit, navy gloves, and navy boots. A navy helmet was situated on top of his head.

"No... no way..." Mega Man was in disbelief. This person... it was _him_! Well, for the most part anyway.

There were a few differences between Mega Man and his doppelganger. The other "Mega Man" wore a distinctive purple scarf around his neck. The gem on his helmet was a triangle instead of a square. His eyes were the same color, but his pupils were smaller.

Last, but _certainly_ not least, was the look on his face - _pure _psychotic glee. Whatever the case, his voice was clearly at odds with his disposition. He sounded sophisticated and composed.

To Mega Man, it was appalling. He had to give Dr. Wily credit; he had really _outdone_ himself.

"I'm sorry. Did I startle you?" inquired the look-alike in a mocking tone. "Guess that an introduction's in order. Hm... now what I can myself? Mega Man wouldn't work since you're still _alive_."

The Blue Bomber's evil twin paced back and forth, deep in thought. To be frank, the real Mega Man wasn't sure if this impostor would snap his neck or invite him for tea. It was _that_ strange.

"Got it!" Mega Man's double snapped his fingers. "Call me... Dark Mega Man! Or Dark for short." He nodded his head in approval. "Short, simple, and to the point."

"Who are you?" Mega Man was puzzled and in need of an explanation.

"I see that you're not the social type. Here I am, trying to strike up a conversation, and you just want to cut to the chase." Dark's face randomly shifted to and fro expressions of mocking joy to extreme solemnity in a matter of seconds. "Isn't it obvious?" Dark dental clicked as he crossed his arms over his chest and lowered his head.

"I'm you... or more accurately... Think of me as that evil twin you never knew that you had. In essence, I'm almost everything that you're not. You're noble. Me? Not so much. You're a hero - "

Mega Man interrupted. "Call off your attack on the city! Innocent lives are at stake!"

"Jeez, you wanted an explanation and you can't even stay quiet for five seconds." Dark threw his hands up into the air. "You're quite the rude one, you know. What horrible manners." Dark Mega Man then began to laugh.

"And about the people living in this city, I could care less." Mega Man shook his fist at Dark's comment. "But if it makes you feel any better, we're under strict orders to not harm any humans."

Mega Man raised an eyebrow. "We? We who?"

"Sorry. Classified information." The copycat chuckled to the Blue Bomber's dissatisfaction.

Another voice rang out from the sky. "Sorry that we're late. We had to tie up some loose ends."

Eight black lights beamed in from the sky and crashed into the ground, resulting in a blinding light. Mega Man covered his eyes and grunted.

When the light finally settled, Dark Mega Man was surrounded by eight cloaked humanoid figures of varying shapes and sizes. One was saddled on a robotic horse.

Only one thought entered the Blue Bomber's mind at that instance. "You guys... you're Wily's newest set of Robot Masters, aren't you?"

Mega Man's reply was met by a sinister group laugh. The male figure on the horse was the first to give a verbal response.

"Technically speaking, yes. But we prefer to go by the codename that Dr. Wily has given us."

The horse whinnied as the rider patted its crest. This one's voice had a metallic sound to it. Mega Man wasn't sure, but it seemed that the rider was wearing some sort of helmet.

The shrouded figures chanted simultaneously. "We are the Eight Guardians of the Directions!"

Dark made an exaggerated and drawn-out series of coughs. This diverted their attention from Mega Man to his "twin".

"But there's _nine_ of you..." Mega Man quite obviously pointed out.

The horse-rider sighed as he put his index finger and thumb under his hood to presumably crease his eyebrows. The Robot Master then pointed his thumb at Dark Mega Man. "Your powers of deduction are _truly_ staggering. _He_ doesn't count."

Mega Man stared at his body double, one eyebrow raised. Dark Mega Man merely shrugged with casual indifference.

"The name itself was already cheesy, but it sounds so _lame_ when _you_ jokers say it," chimed an apathetic Dark.

One cloaked figure snarled at Dark's comment and gestures. He then began to speak in a gruff, almost beast-like tone.

"You're lucky that Wily holds you in such high regard. If it wasn't for that..." - the figure flashed what appeared to be claws - "you would have lost your head by now."

Dark's expression remained nonchalant as he shrugged again, eliciting a growl from the male figure.

Mega Man examined the Robot Master. He was hunched forward and not only sported claws, but paws where his feet should have been.

Another figure spoke. His voice was peculiar. It seemed that two people were speaking at the same time; one voice was eccentric and quite formal while the other was a dull, robotic monotone.

"Now now, you two. Lord Wily would prefer if there wasn't in-fighting over such... _minutia_. Save it for the enemy."

An eerie blue glow could be seen from under the male's hood. In addition, Mega Man could have sworn that he saw _something_ protruding from his back.

One of the Robot Masters turned his back to others and stared up into space.

"The stars are beautiful tonight... It's unfortunate that you can't stop and enjoy such wonderful sights. _Especially_ when you're traveling the world at Mach 5." He sighed.

Mega Man tilted his head. Relatively speaking, this Robot Master wasn't unusual.

Another male in close proximity laid on the ground with his eyes closed. His voice was calm and raspy.

"The stars may be a pleasant view from time to time, but they don't tell you _anything_. The wind however... the wind knows all. Hears all. Tells all. And right now... it's howling..."

Mega Man saw face paint and strange markings on the lower half of the male's face, along with feathers around the top of his neck.

The stargazing Robot Master scoffed at his companion.

The lone female of the group was next to speak. She was clearly admiring Mega Man.

"Isn't he cute? I'd just love to _play_with him," cooed the female in a sing-songy voice.

If this was some from of Japanese animation, Mega Man was sure that a sweat drop would be running down the back of his head by now. Was she... coming onto him? Or was she imagining how she could eradicate him?

_This... this is wrong in so many ways._

"What do you think?" She nudged at a nearby male. Perhaps Mega Man was dreaming, but what appeared to be vines were dangling from her robes.

"That's an irrelevant inquiry," coldly replied the male. "The physical appearance of our adversary has nothing to do with the mission."

Then, he broke out into mad laughter. "Who cares?! We'll just blow him up anyway! Bwa ha ha ha ha ha!"

"That's fine and dandy and all but... you had better not blow up my lovely plants! If even a _single_ petal falls off of them, I _will_ have your head!" She stomped her foot on the ground for emphasis.

The male lowered his head, his voice returning to a calm tone. "Don't you think that was a little... _harsh_?"

Dark Mega Man mocked the female Robot Master. "Ah, young love. Isn't it _great_?"

Dark clapped his hands together and pretended to swoon. As soon as the evil replica rose again, his eyebrows furrowed.

"You all _disgust_ me."

It was met with an outcry of anger from most of the other Robot Masters. The figure on the horse raised his hand and the others fell silent. Apparently, he was the de-facto leader of this odd bunch of Robot Masters.

Mega Man knew that most Robot Masters had quirky personalities, but these guys, they took the cake... and devoured it _whole_.

The eighth figure walked up to Dark, carrying an open book in his right hand.

"Dark my boy, you can't knock anything until you'll tried it." His voice rang with eccentric flair as his right index finger swayed back and forth in slight disappointment. Nothing was odd about this one.

The one with the claws grew impatient.

"So, _why_ are we waiting? Let's rip that punk to shreds already!"

He roared and slashed the air a few times to make his intentions crystal clear. Mega Man gulped and tensed up a bit.

The eerily-glowing Robot Master retorted first. "Trigger-happy, eh?" His tone was that of amusement, but it was undermined somewhat by the second, clearly less enthusiastic robotic voice.

Finally, the horseback rider spoke. "Patience. You'll all get your chances soon enough. Of course, I wouldn't underestimate him, my siblings. We've all seen what he can do." The others nodded in agreement.

The rider turned to face Dark as his horse nuzzled Dark's face, much to the latter's chagrin.

"We'll leave the rest to you. I trust that you can handle it ?"

Dark sneered as he pulled away from the robotic horse. "_Yes_, I can handle it." With a petulant cock of the head, Dark Mega Man crossed his arms in irritation.

"Good. I don't expect _failure _from Wily's third-in-command." The cloaked rider motioned to his group.

"Guardians, we move out!" The remaining cloaked figures nodded, before warping out of the city in flashes of black light.

Mega Man and his dark counterpart were the only ones left.

"Stupid, pretentious idiots with their talk of nobility and honor... Gah! That pony-riding, smug, cocky, son of a jackal's behind... Agh! Thinks that just because he's second-in-command..." Dark mumbled to himself as he brushed some dust off of his garb.

He continued mocking the horse-riding Robot Master as he pranced around in a comical fashion. Dark began to flail his arms around erratically before letting out a high-pitched noise.

"Grr! Damned samurai..."

It was then that Dark looked up to see a baffled Mega Man staring him down.

"Oh yeah, I forgot. _You're _here. You're probably wondering what's going on. I _could _tell you, but it probably would be more satisfying if you figure it for yourself... "

Dark Mega Man began to stroke his chin as he paced around. "Now what was it he wanted me to give you?"

Euphoria rushed over Dark as he recalled his orders. He jubilantly snapped his fingers. "Bingo!"

"While the good doctor couldn't stay, he gives his best regards to all, _especially_ to you. He even made a little 'present' to commemorate this oh so _special_ occasion." Dark turned to face Mega Man and flashed a malignant toothy smile.

Mega Man knew that this wasn't going anywhere good. A present from Wily was the equivalent of a punch to the face from a schoolyard bully. It was a present, all right, but not the kind _anyone_ would want to receive.

Dark raised an arm to the sky and snapped his fingers. "Awaken!"

The earth began to violently shake and rattle. _Something_ was coming. Mega Man looked around. He couldn't seem to pinpoint the direction from which the tremors originated.

Mega Man found it increasingly hard to stand up as the tremors increased exponentially in intensity.

Dark merely cackled, unfazed by the odd phenomena that was unfolding. "Hope that you enjoy it! Bon appetite!" Dark waived good bye to Mega Man and teleported out of the area in a streak of blue light.

A tremendous rumble shook the ground beneath the Blue Bomber. Geysers of rock erupted all around him. "Is it... is it coming from underground?"

Surely enough, Mega Man was spot on... for the _third_ time that day.

A sandworm-type Mechaniloid burst out of the ground and then burrowed under the surface again. It popped up once more, this time producing a blood-curdling metallic screech.

Mega Man drew in a deep breath and let out a prolonged sigh.

"And I have was having such a nice day..."

* * *

**A/N**: Yeah, so if you didn't see it coming... Rock _is _Mega Man. Shocker! :P That whole transformation sequence was a bit _Super Sentai_-ish (actually it was based more off of _Ronin Warriors_), but in reality it probably happened as quickly as Rock's transformation in _Mega Man V _before he fought (and lost to) Terra.

Dark Mega Man is an OC, but he's based off of Mega Man?! from _Mega Man: Powered Up_. Believe me, if you think that he's zany now, it'll only get worse as the story unfolds.

The Eight Guardians of the Directions are not some silly, homemade name that I pulled out of the blue. The name is based off of a group of 10 gods in Hinduism and Vajrayana Buddhism (Guardians of the Directions) that represent the four cardinal directions (North, South, East, and West), North-East, North-West, South-East, South-West, Up, and Down. That's where the similarities end (there are only 8 regular Robot Masters in the story's version of the Guardians). If you're wondering why there are _nine_ Robot Masters, it'll all be revealed soon.

Stay tuned for the next chapter! :D


	6. Rock On!

_**Ragnaröck**_

**A/N**: First of all, I'd like to send a big "thank you" to **lalalei** for favoring this story. It does my good to see that people are actually enjoying my work. ;)

Also, sorry about the huge gap between this chapter and the last one. To remedy this, today's update is actually a double update! XD See, I really do care. :P

**Disclaimer**: I don't own _Mega__ Man._ _Mega Man _and all respective elements are copyright Keiji Inafune and Capcom. I dare say that this story idea is copyright me, but I wouldn't want some lawsuit from Capcom.

* * *

**Chapter 5: Rock On!**

The Mechaniloid thrashed around wildly as its tail smashed into a nearby group of buildings. The edifices soon gave way as they crumbled into countless shards of metal and earth. Mega Man performed several backflips in swift succession to avoid the falling debris.

The sandworm-esque robot arched its head back and screeched again as it whipped its tail at the Blue Bomber. Mega Man gulped as he felt the full force of what he believed to be several tons crash against his considerably lighter frame. The wind was knocked out of Mega Man's biomechanical lungs as he was flung through the air like a ragdoll.

The boy landed over a mile away, like a rock. Mega Man laid on the ground for a few moments before mustering the strength to rise again. His chest throbbed in scrutinizing pain. If he was a human and _not_ a humanoid robot, he surely would have died upon impact. Luckily, he was blessed with a resilience above that of any man.

Mega Man rested a hand on his head as he stood up. "Uh... that... that didn't go well. Ow." Suddenly, he clutched his chest. The pain had yet to recede.

A visual in his internal systems lit up Mega Man's eyes. He had taken a nasty blow to the chest area and his auto-repair had been knocked offline. His energy levels were barely above the halfway mark.

Mega Man panted heavily. The area that he was currently in was too crowded; there was no room to dodge, and on the off-chance that there were still some stowaways, civilians could be in harm's way. A nearby sign caught his eye: "Construction Zone Ahead."

_Perfect_.

The sandworm Mechaniloid was tearing up the streets as it bared down on the blue-clad hero. Mega Man yelled at it.

"Hey you! Catch me if you can!" He fired a few shots at its head to make sure that the machine saw him.

The Mechaniloid roared as Mega Man began to run. With another metallic screech from the Mechaniloid, the chase was on. Mega Man darted toward the construction site. Unfortunately, the road was in shambles. Mega Man noticed this as he was running and sighed. Between his injuries, the terrain, and a 25-feet long robot gunning him down, this was going to harder than he thought.

Mega Man leapt over a small chasm as the Mechaniloid tirelessly pursued him. Had this been any other day, Mega Man could have run circles around this machine no sweat. However, as fate would have it, Mega Man wasn't in top form at the moment. He felt as if the machinery that kept him going had been shattered into millions of pieces.

The boy stumbled and almost lost his balance as he barely cleared another pit. It was too close for comfort. The sand worm Mechaniloid roared as it slammed its tail into the earth. A violent tremor broke out.

"So that's where the earthquakes came from..." Mega Man murmured to himself.

The tip of the Mechaniloid's tail then burst open, revealing a plethora of missile silos. Mega Man's eyes widened as the guided weapons fired upon Mega Man. Mega Man gulped as he rolled, flipped, and somersaulted to avoid the oncoming projectiles. One missile landed right in front of Mega Man. Skidding to halt, Mega Man instinctively leaped between two pieces of rock as the missile detonated.

Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. Mega Man was caught in the explosion and slung across the city again. Landing with another equally-hard thud, Mega Man couldn't muster the strength to rise again. The Blue Bomber began to cough as he took quick, short breaths.

Mega Man's internal systems began to blare urgent caveats in his head. All systems were in the red and his energy levels were at a feeble 13%. Mega Man had received severe damage to his chest armor and the rest of his body wasn't faring much better. The blast had also temporarily knocked his targeting and weapons systems offline. Further use of them now could potentially be dangerous. Another attack like that, and Mega Man would be a goner.

The Mechaniloid slowly crept up on Mega Man, opening up its mouth. It intended to chomp on the blue-clad youth in the same manner that Scruff McGruff took a bite out of crime.

Mega Man clawed at the gravel he laid in as he desperately tried to stand up.

_Come on! Come on! I have to get up!_

It was getting closer. The youth cursed his luck. He just couldn't find the strength to get up.

_It's no use. I can't... I can't move._

Closer...

_Is this really how it's going to end?_

Recollections of Mega Man's past ventures flashed through his head. He remembered when he volunteered to be converted into a living weapon. His brain recalled his first triumph over Wily. He reminisced about all of the tribulations he surmounted and the friendships he had made.

_Was it all for naught?_

The Mechaniloid was right above Mega Man. It screeched once more before opening its colossal mouth, planning to rip the Blue Bomber in two.

Mega Man cringed as he closed his eyes, fearing the worst.

_Guys... I'm sorry. I couldn't win this time._

A whistle resounded through the air. Suddenly, a scarlet blast of energy surged from the sky. It collided with the back of the mechanical worm, exposing some of the circuitry that held the robotic monstrosity together.

Mega Man's eyes widened as some unknown energy flowed through him. Mega Man popped up on his feet as his bionic eyes caught something moving in the night sky. The Mechaniloid screeched and roared, fervently twisting and turning in anguish.

The blue-clad boy looked to the sky and smiled. He had felt something... familiar.

_Thank you._

Readjusting his focus to the damaged Mechaniloid, Mega Man noticed that it was too busy searching for its mysterious and elusive attacker to continue its assault on him.

Mega Man began to limp away. After a few minutes, Mega Man saw a sign indicating an unfinished bridge. Struggling to survive, Mega Man plunged off of the bridge and landed in a construction site a few stories below.

Kneeling in agony from his injuries, Mega Man began to pant. He then looked up to the sky, searching for some sort of beacon of hope...

He didn't expect it to _literally_ happen though. Two red beams of light fell from the sky and landed a few feet from Mega Man's location. As the beams materialized, a smile crept across the youth's face.

The beams reconfigured into two figures. The first was a red robot that looked like a walking suitcase. A bright smile lit up its face as it gawked at the beaten-up and tattered Blue Bomber. The other was a red robotic dog. It barked and woofed merrily at Mega Man before panting, its tail wagging jubilantly.

"Rush? Eddie?" Mega Man asked exuberantly.

Rush merely woofed again before tackling Mega Man and licking his face.

"Rush!" Mega Man let out a soft laugh. "It's good to see you too buddy!"

Eddie merely smiled as his top flipped open like a trash can. A reddish-orange sphere with a stylized white cross in the form of a pinwheel was launched out of Eddie's head - the Yashichi.

Mega Man felt his strength return as his body absorbed the item. His entire body ached, but at least he could function properly again.

Mega Man inspected himself, noticing a crack in his chest armor, among other injuries.

_Must have been from that Mechaniloid's tail whip. I'll need to be more cautious from here on out. _

Rush barked again as he laid down on the ground. A compartment in his back opened up, revealing a projector. A beam of light emitted and formed the shape of a hologram.

A blue-eyed blond who was no more than Mega Man's age was the first figure to appear. The girl was draped in a red dress with black and grey accents. A lime-green ribbon stood out in her golden locks. Next to her was a green robot with a goofy expression and beady red eyes.

"Roll? Auto?"

The girl, Roll, cried out joyfully.

"Mega Man! We were worried sick about you! We couldn't pick up your signal!"

Mega Man's mouth formed a large "o". He had cut off his homing beacon since that morning and never bothered to turn it back on.

Roll continued. "You look like you just survived a tornado! What happened?"

"Wily... and his new 'toy'".

The green robot, Auto, replied to Mega Man's sarcastic remark with a grin.

"Well then, you probably need this."

A blue beam of light descended from the sky and landed next to Mega Man. It formed into a small, navy-colored bird.

"Beat!" Mega Man exclaimed as he held the robotic avian in his hands. A merry chirp was the bird's response.

Auto chuckled again. "Roll and I managed to fix him up since your last few... eh... 'quarrels' with Wily. He should come in handy."

"Thanks guys," Mega Man stated with a smile. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

A small tremor shook the land around the Blue Bomber. "And I don't want to find out either," Mega Man quickly added.

"Looks like your 'playmate' is rearing to go again," Auto commented, half-jokingly.

"Be careful Mega Man!"

Mega Man merely gave his "sister" a thumbs up, easing Roll's apprehensive countenance.

"Remember, attack its weak spot for _massive _damage!"

Mega Man's head drooped and twisted sideways as his eyes narrowed in response to Auto's "counsel".

"What?"

"Ehm... nothing. _Nothing at all_. Give him... er... it hell, Mega Man!"

Both Mega Man and Roll were shocked by Auto's crude choice of words.

"Auto!" Roll chided. It was the last thing Mega Man heard before the transmission ended. Static echoed throughout the air as the projector retracted into Rush's frame.

Mega Man bent down and patted the heads of Rush and Eddie. "I'll see you two soon. Promise."

With those words, the ever-loyal robotic canine and walking suitcase beamed out of the area. Only Mega Man and Beat were left.

"Well," - Rock gave a nervous chuckle - "it's just you and me. You ready?" Mega Man looked at Beat.

The mechanical bird didn't have full speech capabilities, so he flapped his wings energetically to affirm his astuteness.

The ground beneath Mega Man's feet began to shake, rattle, and rumble.

"Wow. Right on cue. What is this, some kind of cliché video game plot?" Mega Man then looked up at Beat. "Brace yourself."

The tremors increased in ferocity as the sound of a shrill cry carried through the air. Mega Man lowered his stance as he shifted his weight to his right leg and placed a hand on his right arm. Beat's eyes narrowed as he too prepared for all-out war. Sweat dropped from the abnormally tense face of Mega Man. And then... it was silent.

Mega Man cooly issued a simple command to Beat: "Fly."

At that instant, the Mechaniloid barreled through the thick walls of the construction site, tearing up the earth as it charged at the two robots like a jet at Mach 2.

Mega Man sprung into the air, narrowly averting death by grabbing onto one of Beat's talons. The avian vigorously flapped in order to support both his and Mega Man's weight.

Upon reaching a safe haven, Mega Man let go of Beat and dropped onto the ground.

"Beat," Mega Man whispered, "there's a weak spot along the robot's backside. Try to get me onto its back." Beat huffed exhaustively before picking up his friend and lifting him into the air.

After rising to a high enough altitude, Mega Man gave Beat a signal to let go. Without a moment's hesitation, Beat obliged, sending the Blue Bomber into free fall.

_It would probably feel my weight on its back and attempt to barricade my passage to its weak point. I'll have to risk a long-range assault._

Dropping through the sky, Mega Man began to draw from the energy stored in his generator. His targeting systems attempted to negate enough of the air resistance to get a clear lock on the Mechaniloid's weak spot.

_I only have one shot at this. Better make it count._

"HIYAAAAAA!" Mega Man's buster had reached its third and final level of charge. Releasing a gigantic orb of plasma, Mega Man was launched backwards from the immense recoil.

The Mechaniloid turned its head to see the energy blast heading at it. All it could do was hiss as the shot made its mark.

The surrounding terrain was demolished in the blast radius. Mega Man, still zipping through the air, crashed into a faraway building. Beat hastily rushed to his friend's aid.

Mega Man slowly pulled himself out of the wreckage. The force of his impact wasn't deadly, but it still hurt like heck.

"Yow!"

Mega Man's hand immediately shifted to his backside as he lurched forward like a decrepit old man.

"My back! My back! Ack!"

Beat chirped as he reached the Blue Bomber. With much pain, Mega Man gave the robotic flying machine a thumbs-up.

It would take a few minutes before Mega Man's back problems finally straighted themselves out. With Beat's help, Mega Man made it to one of the few buildings that wasn't utterly decimated in the aftermath of his Mega Buster.

By that time, the smoke had cleared. All that remained was half of the Mechaniloid's head. Truth be told, it was not a pretty sight. Its one scarlet eye flickered on and off before fading to black.

Mega Man sighed in relief and wiped his brow once more before jumping off of the foothold and landing in the the crater. He had done it. Mega Man was positive that no other omens were coming his way.

"Yeah!" Mega Man jumped for joy. Upon landing, he waived his arms excitedly.

An odd sound piqued Mega Man's interest: applause. That couldn't have been right; Mega Man was certain that all of the civilians had left the premises of the city, so who could have been left?

"Well, well, if it isn't my eternal rival. Long time no see."

Mega Man was jittered; he knew whose voice that was. Perhaps he had been too optimistic too soon.

* * *

**A/N**: Yes, the chapter was sort of short and very anticlimactic. I did actually based the whole "Mechaniloid chase" sequence off of the second half of the intro stage in _Mega Man X7_. I actually enjoyed that level, but my high hopes for the game were dashing afterwards. Moving on...

I had to include the meme "attack its weak spot for massive damage" (from the Sony conference at E3 '06) _only _because it fits Auto's personality so well. I would have also made the robot a crab instead of a snake/worm (get it? "Giant Enemy Crab"?), but that would have been 1) pushing it too far and 2) way too close to _X7 _for my comfort.

The Yashichi is actually a recurring element in numerous Capcom games. It first popped up in a game called _Vulgus_as an enemy, but took on a more benign role in later games. Its appearances in the _Mega Man_ series include the original (in one of the Wily Stages) and _Mega Man 8_ (one of the items Rush can give you when you use the "Mystery Rush" option)

The next chapter is right around the corner! :D


	7. Fortissimol Ambition

_**Ragnaröck**_

**A/N**: Here's the next chapter! Enjoy! :)

**Disclaimer**: I don't own _Mega__ Man._ _Mega Man _and all respective elements are copyright Keiji Inafune and Capcom. I dare say that this story idea is copyright me, but I wouldn't want some lawsuit from Capcom.

* * *

**Chapter 6: Fortissimol Ambition**

The mystery voice whistled in disbelief.

"Wow. Looks like you did a crap job in protecting the city. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you were trying to _wreck_ the place. But hey, what doIknow?"

Mega Man made a horizontal slashing motion with his hands as he called out to the mystery man.

"Bass! I know that it's you. Show yourself!" Mega Man signaled for Beat to leave the premises, leaving him and the mystery character alone.

The mystery man gave a light laugh. "Heh heh, a man of action, eh? All work and no play will make Mega Man a very _dull_ boy."

"Hup!"

Bass jumped down from another, even loftier building. Landing on all fours, Bass rose slowly to his feet in dramatic fashion.

Mega Man's pursuer was a slightly taller humanoid robot draped in ebony armor with golden accents. A sapphire gem was engraved in his chestplate, matching a gem embedded in his helmet. The helmet itself contained two golden fin-like extensions. Underneath the armor was a gray jumpsuit. Running under his blood-red eyes were purple face markings, two running down each side of his face. On top of it all, laid a ragged, tan-colored cape with several holes and tears.

Mega Man playfully jabbed at Bass' new addition to his wardrobe, all the while keeping his guard up.

"Nifty robe. Did the 'caped avenger' look go into style?"

Bass said nothing.

"Why are you here, Bass?"

Bass finally spoke, arrogance underlying his every word.

"Oh come on! We've been doing this shtick for years. You _should_ know why I'm here."

Mega Man made another slash with his right hand, irked by Bass' implication.

"I've said it once and I'll say it again: we're _not _enemies, Bass! There's no reason for us to fight!"

"Tch. It can't be helped." Bass shrugged.

"My goal is to be number one. The _toughest_ robot in the world. But, time after time, I find myself with _one_ obstacle in my path." Bass raised his index finger and promptly pointed in Mega Man's direction.

"Bass, that reasoning of yours is faulty and you know it. For one, there are much more powerful robots out there than me. I don't see you hounding Duo or Proto Man."

"Duo and Proto Man had never bested me in combat," Bass stated matter-of-factly.

"That's because you've never _fought_ them! You've been too busy stalking _me_ to see that."

"Shut up! Words are useless at times like these." Bass' right hand balled up into a fist.

"Bass, what about the times when we teamed up? How about when we defeated King's army and overcame Wily? Or when we stopped R-Shadow and the Dimensions from destroying Symphony City? You can't say that the two of us working together then was a fluke."

"Simple. I looked over the facts and came to the conclusion that working with you those times would allow _me_ to get to _you_ faster. Don't expect it to happen again."

Mega Man attempted to reason with his black and purple counterpart again.

"Bass, I know that we have our differences, but we've made a pretty good team in the past. Can't we just bury the hatchet and let bygones be bygones? Hasn't our teamwork meant anything to you?"

Bass slightly lowered his head, shut his eyes, and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"No. Can't say that it did," said Bass as he opened his ruby eyes. Mega Man groaned in disappointment.

"Listen, there's no way that you can prevent this from going down. You know as well as I do that _this_ is the only way. Face the facts, Mega Man! Everything can't be perfect in this little world of yours! So stop yapping and fight!"

Mega Man took a deep breath. "I see. Is there really no other way?"

"No."

"Fine then."

"Hey, chin up. Perhaps I'll hang your helmet on a plaque as a trophy of my victory. You can always find solace in _that_."

"There's no way around it then. I can't persuade you to give up your foolish 'dreams', so I'll just have to beat you and be on my way."

Bass' eyebrows raised in mixture of amusement and skepticism. "Come again? _You? _Beat? _Me_?"

"I don't know why you find the prospect so baffling. It's happened before_. Five_ times, if my memory serves me right. What makes you think that this time won't end any differently?"

"My my. Well aren't we cheeky? Why don't you fight me, and _then _we'll see which one of us is better."

"Before that... I have one question."

"Go ahead," sighed Bass.

"Are you still in cahoots with Wily?"

Bass tried desperately to keep a straight face as his lips kept twisting to keep from laughing out loud, but surely enough, the ebony-clad robot couldn't help himself from bellowing in beguilement.

"Me... and the old man? He he he! Bwa ha! HA HA HA HA HA! Oh, that's rich! Aheh he he he AHA HA HA HA HA! 'Cahoots'? Who the hell even uses that word anymore?! HA HA HA HA HA HA! Ah! Oh God! AH HA! AH HA! Ow! It hurts! GAH HA HA HA HA HA!"

Bass was practically rolling on the ground with much lark.

Mega Man patiently tapped his foot of the ground. He honestly didn't see what was so funny.

Bass finally regained his cold, but belligerent composure as he wiped a tear from his eye.

"Sorry, little boy Blue. I parted ways from him awhile back. Any knuckle-headed crap that he's started, I've had no hand in. Scout's honor." Bass gave a mocking salute.

"Well then. That's that. Shall we get started?" Bass proceeded to grab his cloak and wring it from his form, once more with dramatic flair.

"Yeah sure. I've been up for almost an entire day, so I need to get some rest." Mega Man raised his fist to assume a fighting position.

"Heh. Don't worry," Bass said as his right arm converted into an arm cannon, "me and my Bass Blaster here will ensure that you'll getting _all_ of the rest you need."

"Try me." Mega Man followed suit and transmuted his right arm into the Mega Buster.

With the witty banner having reached its inevitable ending, the two robots prepared for yet another struggle. Mega Man jumped back a fair distance, cloaking himself behind the lofty tower.

"C'mon Mega Man! This is a _battle_, not 'Hide and Go Seek'! If you won't fight me like a man, then I'll just flush you out!"

The Bass Blaster began to draw on the Bassnium stored within Bass' hydraulic reactors as Bass began to glow an ominous shade of green.

"GET A LOAD OF THIS!" The Bass Buster fired a shot similarly shaped to Mega Man's own buster fire, but its destructive power was far greater.

Mega Man's head popped out from behind the edifice, his eyes gazing at the green arrow of explosive force barrelling at him. Mega Man quickly crouched down behind the sturdiest part of the building and braced himself for the impact.

The building exploded in a blaze of red glory as the Blue Bomber was hurtled through the sky like a javelin. It would be several seconds before he came to.

"Ugh... leave it to Bass to both raise Cain and give me a head-splitting migraine. I just hope that this thing with me being knocked all over the city doesn't becomes routine."

Mega Man's internal systems gave him a HUD display of his energy levels. The building had soaked up the brunt of the blast, and luckily, he hadn't been knocked hard enough that he'd be able to kiss the moon. His energy output was currently at a healthy 84%.

"Hey, c'mon! We're not done yet!"

Bass rocketed out of the sky with a mighty leap. Mega Man rolled out of the way to prevent himself from being in the highly uncomfortable situation of finding Bass's fist lodged in his head.

Upon recovery, the black robot furiously whipped his leg around in a combination of a sweep and breakdancing. Mega Man performed a short hop to dodge the attack as Bass sprung forward after rebounding off of his hands.

Bass's forward spring caught Mega Man off-guard, and the Blue Bomber went the weight off Bass's boots drilling into his stomach. Seeing the damage inflicted, Bass pressed on with his advantage by pummeling Mega Man with a flurry of blows aimed at his midsection. Bass ended the combo with a double-barreled cross chop that sent his rival flying.

Mega Man managed to break the fall with his hands. He immediately repositioned himself in an one-armed handstand and opened fire upon Bass while vertically inverted. The Blue Bomber's aim was off, but he did manage to slow down the black robot with his odd array of shots.

Bass didn't miss a beat. With an acrobatic flip and a contempt snarl, he was several feet above Mega Man's head, his left leg raised high.

Bass crashed onto Mega Man with a potent axe kick, only to be blocked by Mega Man once more. Mega Man countered with a crude uppercut that hit Bass squarely under his chin.

The black robot was shot through the air as Mega Man bent down on knee, flailing his left arm in pain.

"Urgh... he busted up my arm." The glove covering Mega Man's left arm was broken beyond repair, and the mechanical gizmos holding it together were showing."

"Not good." Mega Man bound his left arm behind his back. If he kept using it, he might not have another arm to rely on.

Bass casually approached, wagging his fingers with some disbelief. "What happened to you 'beating me and being on your way'? It's looks like you've lost your swagger."

Mega Man dragged himself off of the ground, his left arm swaying limp behind his back. The Blue Bomber gritted his teeth. His HUD display notified him that his body was now only at a 54% efficiency rate.

"It's not over yet!"

_Darn, he's actually **serious** this time around. I'll need to be cautious or else it'll be a one-way ticket to the scrap heap._

"That's what I like to hear!" exclaimed Bass with manic zeal as he charged Mega Man.

_I can't afford to tackle Bass head-on, so I'll have to use his own power against him._

Bass swung at Mega Man with a few quick jabs, followed by a wild right hook. Mega Man sidestepped the first attacks and popped to the ground, flipping Bass over his frame with a foot launch.

As Bass attempted to recover, Mega Man caught his legs in a slide tackle. With a strained yell and much force, Mega Man slammed Bass into the pavement and then lifted him back up to a vertical position. After this, Mega Man slammed Bass to the ground on the other side, breaking out of the grapple with a sideways somersault.

Bass grumbled as he rose to his feet. The look in his eyes gave Mega Man the impression that the skirmish was _far _from over.

The black robot swiftly vaulted over Mega Man and delivered a paralyzing chop to the blue robot's neck. As Mega Man fell slowly to his knees, Bass grabbed his foe by the head and one-handedly drove Mega Man's body into the concrete. The pavement gradually chipped away as Bass pulled Mega Man out from his small crater and piledrived him into the ground. After unearthing the Blue Bomber once more, Bass punted him like a football.

Mega Man bounced violently off of the ground multiple times before finally skidding to a painful stop. His head ached with unbearable pain.

_32%. Ugh... when was Bass ever **this** tough?_

A green burst of energy bolted through the sky towards Mega Man. The blue-clad robot narrowly avoided it by pressing himself close to the ground. Slowly moving his head upwards, Mega Man caught a glimpse of the mobile figure of Bass.

Bass came at Mega Man with sweeping kick aimed at Mega Man's head. The latter stopped the blow with his healthy arm and grabbed hold of it. Bass writhed furiously to get loose from Mega Man's grip.

_Shoot. I don't know how much longer I can hold him like this. I have only one option: I'll have to apply pressure with my left arm. _

Mega Man latched onto Bass' leg with his other hand. A vicious pang ran through the entire left side of his torso, but he ignored it. Raising up Bass, Mega Man smashed his foe into the ground once more with earth-shattering force.

Moving back a few feet, Mega Man placed his right hand on his left arm. He couldn't feel anything.

With a flashy recovery reminiscent of breakdancing, Bass was back on his feet.

_He's persistent_. _I'll give him that_.

Bass gave another arrogant smirk. "You know that it'll more than that to put me down." His gaze fell upon Mega Man's vulnerability.

"Oh? It seems that you'll having a bit of 'technical difficulties'. I guess that I should put you out of your misery, eh?"

Bass' arm transformed back into a buster. Mega Man's eyes widened as a volley of shots came his way. Mega Man leaped, rolled, tumbled, and ran as green fire covered his vicinity.

Mega Man hopped onto the nearby building, digging his heels into the surface to prevent himself from loosing footing.

"I don't think so!" yelled Bass as he continued his barrage on Mega Man.

Mega Man began to ascend the tower sideways, ducking and dodging the bullets in a humanly impossible fashion. After scaling upwards to a considerable height, Mega Man launched himself off of the erection, his right fist meeting Bass' stomach as he whizzed by.

Bass growled while firing a semi-charged buster shot at Mega Man. Mega Man gamboled into the air, responding to Bass' aggressive initiative with a few shots of his own.

"Bass! You mean to tell me that you can't even hit an one-armed guy?" jeered Mega Man.

"Grr! Don't mock me!" Bass rushed in with much vim and vigor, connecting an effective elbow smash to an unsuspecting Mega Man. The latter rebounded off of the ground with several thuds.

Bass scoffed at his felled enemy as his body began to flicker green.

"It's been nice knowing you. No, wait - that would be a _lie_. Say your prayers, Mega Man!" Bass' buster was pointed at the Blue Bomber's cranium.

_Well... this seems familiar. I don't think that anyone is coming to my rescue **this** time, though._

"Farewell." Bass clicked the internal mechanism controlling his buster, and the Bass Buster let loose a fully-charged ball of ruin and devastation. Mega Man could only gulp.

The explosion could be seen from miles away. Earth and metal was scattered everywhere and a large crater lay in the space Mega Man's body once occupied.

At first, Bass was in disbelief. But soon enough, his disbelief turned to satisfaction, which soon gave way to mad bliss. The black robot let out an ecstatic cackle.

"Aha! Yes! I did it! _Finally_! I beat Mega Man! AHA HA HA HA HA HA HA!"

"I wouldn't be too _sure_ of that, pal," rang a voice from the heavens.

Bass looked up to the skies, muddled. There he beheld the plummeting frame of Mega Man.

Gyrating rapidly, Mega Man's leg cracked Bass in the face... _hard_. Bass went flying a good ten yards, his crash accompanied by noises reminiscent of a train wreck.

Hobbling over to the site of the collision, Mega Man panted.

"Ha... ha... ha... I'll got to give it to Bass. Ha... It's been awhile since I've had to exert myself so much. Ha..."

Bass laid in ground, face-down. His head was moving, so there was no doubt that he was still alive, but his body was unresponsive.

Scarlet eyes filled with hatred, rage, and fury met saddened sapphire eyes.

"But... how?!"

"That's my little secret." In all honesty, Mega Man was surprised that he had gotten out of that scrap.

"D... damn you... Mega Man. I won't... I won't give up... Not now... not ever..." Bass struggled to raise himself up, but failed. "I _will_ defeat you. I swear it!"

Mega Man merely shook his head. "I'm sorry that you feel that way. I really am."

The Blue Bomber whistled as a red streak of light fell from the sky.

"Rush," said a worn-out Mega Man, "let's go home."

Rush barked in agreement, quickly altering his shape to that of a jet.

With that, Mega Man and his faithful dog rocketed into the air, leaving Bass only to loathe himself even more...

* * *

**A/N**: Yup. I had wanted to flesh out this battle a bit, but technically speaking, these chapters are akin to an intro stage, so the battles can't be _that _hard. Plus, Bass _does_ tend to go down quite easily.

Honestly, this _could _have been combined with the last chapter, but I think that the story flows more smoothly as is.

The "five times" lines takes into account that Mega Man defeated Bass during the intro stage of _Mega Man 7_. Bass' five defeats would then be _Mega Man 7_'s intro stage, the two actual boss battles against him in _Mega Man 7_, the intro FMV in _Mega Man 8_, and the sole mini-boss battle against Bass in _Mega Man 8_.

The title is a play on Bass' Japanese name (a musical term, "forte", which means a loud note; this goes hand-in-hand with Bass' nature) and fortissimol, an even _louder_ musical term.

After this, there will be one or two more chapters of build-up before the "main story" commences. 'Til then! :)


	8. Those Who Are Called

_**Ragnaröck**_

**A/N**: Sorry for the huge delay to anyone who was waiting for a new chapter. I blame school and a bad habit of procrastination. :P Anyway, it took quite some time to crank out 17+ pages of Microsoft Word text of the latest chapter to this story, so I hope that you all enjoy. Hopefully, it won't take another few months to type up new chapters... ^_^;

To the anonymous **bdun**, the fictional Ragnarök of Norse mythology is indeed a partial inspiration for this story. I'm not saying that this will as _big_, but I want this story to end with a bang. :) To **Krow Blood**, I don't quite follow you. Mavericks don't come into existence until _after _the creation of Reploids in 21XX... which is the date that this story will eventually lead up to. If I'm right, Light and Wily only worked together on Proto Man. The first 6 (or 8, going by _Powered Up_ canon) Robot Masters are reprogrammed by Wily. Every other Robot Master minus the ones in _Mega Man 9_ have no "blood relation" to the Mega family. **deamonmaster1190**, good eye. There will probably be a few more references to all things _Mega Man_-related if I can make it work. ;)

Well then, without further ado, here's the next chapter.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own _Mega__ Man._ _Mega Man _and all respective elements are copyright Keiji Inafune and Capcom. I dare say that this story idea is copyright me, but I wouldn't want some lawsuit from Capcom.

* * *

**Chapter 7: Those Who Are Called**

Bass had regained the feeling in his right arm and moved it a little bit to ensure that it was fine. He still couldn't function properly. That whack to the head from Mega Man had seen to that.

Bass promptly raised his fist and slammed it into the ground.

"Damn. Damn! Damn it _all_! Why can't I beat _him_? _Why_?!"

He had been created as the superior model. Bassnium, the most potent power source on Earth, flowed through his body like a raging river. He had the advantage, for he had ample time to analyze _all_ of the Blue Bomber's past adventures. Hell, he had even introduced the potentially life-threatening substance known as Evil Energy into his body to give himself an edge. Yet, every time, _his _endeavors had been met with no success.

Perhaps Proto Man was right...

* * *

_After defeating King and parting from Mega Man, Bass had decided to meet Wily, __**alone**__._

_The quivering old man only stared with much terror as Bass' buster was held high. He could have been killed at any moment._

_"Why did you deceive me?!"_

_"Eeek!" Dr. Wily gave a shrill cry as he began to bow in apology. Bass had seen this gesture before, __**numerous **__times over. _

_"Forgive me! I just wanted to test your ability."_

_"What? What do you mean?"_

_"I've always believed that you were the strongest robot in the world. But you have not been able to defeat Mega Man... So I began to lose my faith in you. Then I had the idea that I could create a mightier robot. So, I created King... But since you defeated King, I now know the truth... You __**are **__the mightiest robot in the world!"_

_"What a __**lame **__excuse..." Bass scorned. It was clear that Bass was not in the mood to play games with his creator._

_"Bass, let me show you something..." _

_Wily hobbled over to the back of the lab as Bass crossed his arms and scoffed. Upon reaching a console, Wily hastily punched in a lengthy code. A panel in the back of Wily's lab then turned on. It was a visual of complex robotic schematics. The robot shown was another King variant, but numerous refinements, both major and minor, made this modified version superior to the original in every way._

_"This is the plan for King the Second. Join with King II and together, you two will be __**invincible**__!"_

_Bass remained silent as he pondered over Wily's offer._

_"You'll __**never**__ learn, Wily!"_

_"That voice... Proto Man!"_

_A red robot with a yellow scarf, black visor, and large crimson shield warped into the lab._

_"I won't let this happen!" Proto Man immediately blasted the schematics. The data was erased for good._

_"Oh no..." lamented Wily. "My beautiful plan...!" _

_His sorrow then turned into rage._

_"Bass, destroy Proto Man!" ordered Wily._

_Bass' fist was clenched, yet he remained immobile._

_"What are you waiting for, Bass? I said, 'DESTROY PROTO MAN!'"_

_Proto Man ignored Wily's outburst and coolly addressed Bass._

_"Bass, you don't need to hesitate, do you? You are not a slave to Wily, are you? You are acting on your own, aren't you? Not with a partner, nor under someone's order..."_

_"I..." stuttered Bass._

_"You are strong. That __**is **__true. But you __**can't**__ defeat Mega Man. Do you know why? It is because you have __**nothing**__ to fight for... _

_Bass didn't speak a word he let the red and gray robot's message sink in. All the while, Wily was vehemently screaming like a child throwing a temper tantrum._

_"What have you been fighting for, Bass? You don't have anything or anybody to fight for, do you? You have fought only for yourself, right?"_

_"Silence!" finally retorted Bass. "Just get lost!"_

_"Farewell." _

_Unfazed by the ebony robot's bark, Proto Man left Bass as he warped out of the ransacked lab. Bass' fist closed with the force of a vice grip. He gnashed his teeth together in unparalleled fury._

_"'What I've fought for?' That is ridiculous. I don't __**need**__ a reason to fight. I have and am going to fight __**only**__ to destroy Mega Man!!"_

* * *

He had even been curious enough to seek out Proto Man a _second_ time...

* * *

_Sometime later, Bass would encounter Proto Man once more. He let Mega Man go ahead to face R-Shadow, an embittered prototype of a redesigned Mega Man from the year 2047. This time, it would be Bass who would be questioning the enigmatic loner..._

_Bass approached Proto Man in the sunset-lit city. The latter's distinct scarf blew calmly in the evening wind._

_"Proto Man! What do you want from life?"_

_"I live as I wish. That is all. My life is __**none**__ of your business."_

_That sounded like hypocrisy to Bass._

_"Your mysterious behavior annoys me! I'll deal with you after I defeat Mega Man."_

_"That's fine by me, but you __**can't **__defeat Mega Man."_

_"What are you saying?"_

_"You and Mega Man have __**completely **__different goals."_

_"What?!"_

_"You only care about petty things like fighting to be the best," elaborated Proto Man, the sunset's rays reflecting off of his visor. "But Mega Man is different. He cares about the future."_

_"Future? I don't understand!"_

_"Yes! He keeps fighting for the future of robots and humans. Think about it, Bass. Think about who you __**really**__ need to fight against."_

_Without giving Bass a chance to protest, Proto Man vanished in a beam of red light. All that was left was the view of the city at sunset..._

* * *

Bass closed his eyes in contempt. Proto Man had been around a lot longer than he had been. Could he have truly been right?

Bass shook his head. He just didn't know anymore.

"What... I'm fighting for? Hm... as if... I know the answerrr... ugh..."

Bass' speech slurred as he faded in and out of consciousness. Grasping a large clump of dirt in his hands, Bass raised his head. The sun was rising over the city, yet it would not be rising for him. Darkness was being to overtake Bass.

A purple light fell from the sky. Bass knew who it was.

"Tre... Treble?"

The wolf-like robot gave a low growl as to affirm Bass' inquiry.

"Hm... good boy." Bass gave a genuine smile, a rarity given his chronic, sour disposition. Bass ran his free hand down Treble's face.

Despite his lack of emotional attachments, Treble was the closest thing that Bass had to a true friend. Treble was created in the same interim as Bass, and from that point on, the pair was inseparable. Through thick and thin, the two had always had each other's back. Plus, Treble's disdain for Rush rivaled his own feelings of hostility for Mega Man.

Bass' vision was shot at this point. He gritted his teeth. He wouldn't last for much longer, not with injuries like his. Bass pet his canine companion on the head one last time. The raven-hued robot's irises faded to nothingness as his head sluggishly dropped to the ground. Treble could only whimper at the sight of his master's current state.

* * *

Four shrouded figures sat upon the building that Bass occupied minutes ago. Three of them wore robes, much like Wily's Guardians. The fourth was none other than Dark Mega Man himself. A morbid grin found itself on the latter's face as he oversaw the spectacle between Bass and Mega Man.

"Hahahahaha... ah... Bass, Bass, Bass, Bass, _Bass_. When will you _ever_ learn?"

The first hooded figure took notice of Dark's mocking chant. He began to speak with a vaguely British inflection, his speech sprinkled with small doses of Early Modern English.

"Dark, I see that thou are enjoying the show. Thou hast a disturbing fondness for such occasions."

Dark turned his head to face his companion. "Oh? Well, the last time I checked, it seemed as if the three of you were getting more delight out of this charade than I was."

"_Me_? Surely thou jest."

"Deadly serious, my friend. _Deadly_ serious."

"I take no pleasure in this," protested the figure as he took out a pocket watch and flipped it open. "It is merely a matter of fate. No one, not even Bass, can escape that."

Another hooded figure began to converse.

"Honestly, there was no point in that fool challenging Mega Man. Once a failure, _always_ a failure. He should have expected to lose after such shoddy performances in the past."

"I see that someone is being a bit gloomy today. Oh, wait... I forgot; you're like this _everyday_." Dark started to snigger.

"It's called 'realism', not 'pessisism'."

"Toe-_may_-toe, toe-_mah_-toe," joked Dark.

"Fine," huffed the second figure in a distant, cold-blooded voice, "I'm only saying that it was _going_ to happen. We've all seen Bass's past failures, correct?"

"I still fail to see thy point. Maybe it is because thy inclination is always one of low spirits..."

"Gah, why do you always speak like _that_?" interjected the third hooded figure in an irked tone. This one's voice was decidedly female.

"Like what?"

"You know very well what I'm talking about. All of that 'thou' and 'thy' and 'thee' crap. And that British accent that you try oh so hard to emulate. It's so phony, not to mention _annoying_."

"Hmph. I believe that it gives me an air of dignity, which is something that thou seem to be lacking in."

"Say what?"

"I believe that thou are in good hearing. I do not need to repeat myself."

"As sad as it might be, he's right," agreed the second cloaked figure. "Your attire is quite distasteful."

"Well, I've never - !" proclaimed the female in shock as she covered her mouth with her hand. "And will you _stop_ that ridiculous archaic form of English?! It's pissing me off!"

"Well, if '_thou_' '_wanteth'_ me to '_stopeth'_, '_thou' 'needeth'_ only to '_asketh'_."

"You're just doing this on purpose now, aren't you?"

"Heh, perhaps."

"I _hate_ you."

The four turned their attention the Bass and Treble.

"Hm... what are we going to do about those two? We never were given orders from Wily, after all." The first hooded figure repeatedly flipped his pocket watch open and subsequently closed it.

"I say trash 'em. The junkyard is fitting for ones such as them."

"But that would be such a waste of a pretty face." The sole female then gave a low, seductive giggle.

"Feh. Women. Such fickle creatures, carbon-based or mechanical."

"Is that some contempt I sense?"

"No. It's called 'realism'."

"Toe-_may_-toe, toe-_mah_-toe." The second figure growled as Dark repeated his joke.

"Still," continued Dark, "Bass _is _a wildcard. While I doubt that he can do anything in his current condition, he _could _prove to be a problem in the future. That being said, I think that the task of dealing with him should be child's play between the four of us."

"I knew that you'd see it _my _way. Couldn't let such a pretty boy go down just yet, huh?"

"Believe what you want," Dark sighed.

"I think that letting him go is a _big _mistake. One that will come back to bite you in the ass, Dark." The second figure raised his finger at Dark. Dark shrugged.

"Like _I _care. Should that happen, I'll just put Bass in his place. Heh, if my weakling other could do it, it'll be like taking candy from a baby for _me_." Dark gave a cocky grin.

"Bah. As if 'Wily's third-in-command' would really heed another's advice..." mumbled the second figure as he piped up.

"Then it is all in the hands of fate. Only time will tell what will come of this." The first figure closed his pocketwatch for the last time and put it away.

"There's no other reason for us to stay. The doctor will probably want to see us back at HQ."

"Gramps?" cheerfully exclaimed the female.

"Of course, _they _will be there." The second figure dental clicked and shook his head. The female's head lowered as she let out a short whine.

"There is no way around it. Why Dr. Wily created _those_ eight is beyond my knowledge, but it is another one of destiny's designs, regardless of how much we detest it."

"But remember; they might be the Eight Guardians, but we... _we_ are the Four Heavenly Kings!"

The female Robot Master cleared her throat. Dark rolled his eyes in response.

"I'm sorry, but the 'Three Heavenly Kings and the Lone Heavenly Queen' just doesn't have as nice a ring to it."

"Hmph!"

"Come on. We are wasting our time here."

"Agreed. This dump is far too _unpleasant_ to stay in for such lengthy intervals. Dark, we're going on ahead."

"Do as you like. I'll join you three soon."

The three robed Robot Masters teleported in a black light, leaving behind Dark Mega Man. He cracked a devilish smile at Bass, who Treble was lightly nudging at with his nose.

"You'd better bless your lucky stars, Bass. You stumbled across a fortuitous occasion today. Don't expect to get off with a warning next time."

Dark's glance traveled over to the rising sun.

"I guess that copycats like us can't amount to much, huh?" Dark's hand curled into a tight fist before easing up.

"Sayonara, loser." Dark threw his head back. With a malevolent laugh, Dark followed his comrades in a eerie streak of black light.

* * *

Mega Man could see it, albeit barely. The Rush Jet was rapidly approaching a hilltop lab on the outskirts of the city. At this point, Mega Man was barely holding on. Rush whimpered, fearful that his best friend could slip off at any given moment.

Rush made sure to land slowly in order to compensate for Mega Man's state of being. Mega Man hopped off and stumbled. With much strain, the blue robot pulled himself together and began to walk. Rush stepped a few paces ahead of Mega Man, hoping to break his fall should the boy collapse again.

The door to the house opened. Roll sprinted out of the doorway with zeal, eager to greet her twin brother.

"Mega Man!" she called out as she waived gleefully.

Mega Man's lips struggled to part as his mouth gave a weary smile. "Roll..." Those words barely escaped his mouth. The boy's eyelids abruptly rolled back into his metallic skull as he toppled over.

Roll gave a horrified look as she clasped her hands over her mouth. "Ohmigosh! Ohmigosh! Ohmigosh!"

She ran over to Mega Man's fallen frame, her eyes tearing up. Rush was already under the Blue Bomber's legs, pushing up in an attempt to raise the boy off of the ground. Roll wrapped her arms around Mega Man's waist and struggled to lift him up. It was then that Roll noticed the injuries that her brother had sustained.

"Auto! Dr. Light! Somebody come quick!" cried Roll, her head turned in the direction of her abode. "It's Mega Man! He's badly wounded! Please! Hurry!"

Roll focused her attention back on Mega Man. Blood was seeping out of a crack in his helmet. Mangled strands of hair poked out from under his helmet and his armor was a charred, broken mess. Roll sobbed as she began to scream in his ear.

"Mega Man, you have to wake up! Please, come back to us! Mega Man! MEGA MAN!!"

* * *

A solitary figure strode down a darkened hallway, slipping through a myriad of doors and elevators. The backdrop cast an eerie shadow upon this lone character, who remained silent throughout the walk. The figure walked up to a door that stood out from the uniform, drab, and deary nature of his surroundings. He quietly walked up to the door and gave a quick inspection. Its construction was primitive; the door was composed almost entirely out of a bronze-stone mixture. In the middle of the door was an emblem - a "W". The person leaned in towards the emblem, which instantly lit up with an electronic beam reminiscent of a retina scanner. After engulfing the mystery man's body, the light faded as the entire hallway began to rumble.

The door split in half and receded into the walls. The figure resumed his stroll as he entered a magnificent room that gave the impression of unearthly grandeur. The room was primarily golden in color. The backdrop was offset by majestic scarlet drapes with skull insignias that fell from the sky all the way down to the floor. A marble statue of Dr. Wily that stood several stories high was placed in the center of it all, with water gushing out of holes in the carving into a fountain. To top it all off, Victorian-era music echoed throughout the hall.

The figure treaded towards a small chair that was vaguely similar in appearance to a throne. He proceed to sit down in the seat, leaning up against the back on the chair. His body became motionless as it began to meld together with various cords and wires attached to the throne.

A few minutes later, the door to the grand hall opened once more. Eight figures approached the throne and knelt upon arrival. The ambiance of the room dimmed to a state of near-zero visibility as a hologram hovered above the inactive body of the first figure. His digital body glowed an eerie blue and was composed of numerous bits and fragments of data and binary code.

The figure who was closest to this apparition raised his head and began to speak.

"Cache? I was wondering where you had gone off to. What have you summoned us for?"

Cache turned his head in the direction of his interrogator, studying him for a long time before responding.

"DECLARATION: SORRY. I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF DAILY DIAGNOSTICS. LET ME FINISH MY ANALYSIS AND I WILL GET BACK TO YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE."

"Very well. Proceed."

"AFFIRMATIVE."

Cache's eyes lit up for a brief moment and then dimmed.

"SCANNING COMPLETE. SUBJECT ANALYSIS COMMENCING. DESIGNATION CODE: WGS-001. CODENAME: SHOGUN MAN. DR. WILY'S SECOND-IN-COMMAND. A ROBOT MASTER WHO CONTAINS THE DATA OF KNIGHT MAN, YAMATO MAN, AND SWORD MAN. A HONORABLE PRACTITIONER OF THE OLD WAYS AND CUSTOMS OF JAPAN, MOST NOTABLY BUSHIDO, 'THE WAY OF THE SAMURAI'. STATUS: GREEN."

The first figure stood upright as his cloak was ripped apart from the inside. The Robot Master was draped in a black and gold armor reminiscent of samurai from feudal Japan. Two katanas were fastened to his tasset and a retractable naginata was positioned across the back of his breastplate. His face was obscured by a helmet made in the image of a Japanese dragon, but his pale yellow eyes shone through two slits. A medium-sized robe emblazoned with eleven distinct kanji completed the regal attire.

"Spot on, my friend. The rest of the family would like to give their greetings as well." As Shogun Man beckoned with his hands, the remaining Robot Masters tore out of their robes.

"Hello... _again_."

The purple and navy colored Robot Master to the right of Shogun Man then turned around and walked over towards a darkened corner of the room. His design was closer to that of an avian than of a man. Jet black wings expanded outwards from the crest of his back. His feet were three-pronged talons and a mask resembling that of a falcon covered the upper half of his face, only leaving his mouth and nose uncovered.

"DESIGNATION CODE: WGS-002. CODENAME: TEMPEST MAN. A ROBOT MASTER WHO CONTROLS THE ELEMENT OF WIND. DATA SCANS SHOW THAT SUBJECT IS BASED OFF OF AIR MAN, WIND MAN, TOMAHAWK MAN, CLOUD MAN, AND TENGU MAN. RESERVED AND APATHETIC ON THE SURFACE, BUT MAY BE MASKING HIS TRUE FEELINGS."

"Dream on, Cache," snapped Tempest Man as he flapped his wings.

"VERY WELL. I WILL CEASE DISCUSSION ON THE CURRENT TOPIC. STATUS: GREEN."

The next Robot Master was the only female of the group. Her dainty body was composed entirely of pale pink flowers. Vines dangled from her arms as well as sprouted from the back of her head, almost as if it were hair. Her eyes were the color of blood.

"Nice to see you again, Cache," said the girl as she performed a curtsy.

"DESIGNATION CODE: WGS-003. CODENAME: FLORA WOMAN. PREFERS TO BE KNOWN AS A 'ROBOT MISTRESS'. DATA SAMPLES TAKEN FROM WOOD MAN AND PLANT MAN. SUBJECT DESIGN BASED OFF OF THE MYTHICAL DRYAD, A BEAUTIFUL NYMPH WITH CONTROL OVER THE FORCES OF NATURE. YOUNG, INNOCENT, AND SOMEWHAT NAIVE."

"You _do _know that I'm still here, right?"

"MY APOLOGIES. STATUS: GREEN."

A slightly irked Flora Woman stepped aside as another Robot Master sprinted up to Cache with much zeal. His lightweight armor was vermilion with random splotches of brown. A long white scarf accentuated his outerwear and a pair of dark-tinted aviator goggles framed his cyan eyes.

"Cache! How's it going? I'd shake your hand, buddy, but... well... ahehe... you know."

"DESIGNATION CODE: WGS-004. CODENAME: EXPRESS MAN. SCHEMATICS COMPRISED OF DATA FROM CHARGE MAN, GYRO MAN, AND TURBO MAN. ABLE TO REACH SPEEDS UP TO MACH 5 BOTH ON LAND AND IN THE SKIES. HIGH-SPIRITED AND IMPOSSIBLY OPTIMISTIC. I WOULD SHAKE YOUR HAND... IF I HAD A BODY AT THE MOMENT... AND IF THERE WAS NOT THE RISK OF DISMEMBERMENT."

"Well, that's _one _way of putting it... I'd prefer to call it 'living one's life to the fullest'." Express Man shuffled off with a small grin.

"NO OFFENSE MEANT. IT'S A MATTER OF OPINION, AFTER ALL. STATUS: GREEN."

"Cache, I'm in need of your services. I do need some spectacular light displays for my next performance."

Next up was a Robot Master whose appearance could best be described as a demented court jester. His outfit was every color of the rainbow, and then some, and his personality was even more eccentric than his costume. His facial features were hidden behind an opaque mask that symmetrically divided by a laughing face and a weeping face.

"DESIGNATION CODE: WGS-005. CODENAME: WACKO MAN. ARCANE ABILITIES ROOTED IN DATA FROM STAR MAN, GRAVITY MAN, CLOWN MAN, AND ASTRO MAN. AN IMPRESSIVE STAGE MAGICIAN WITH A PENCHANT FOR LONG-WINDED SPEECHES. STATUS: GREEN."

"Ohoohoohoo! Bravo, my ditigal friend! Bravo! It's like they say: 'The show must go on!'"

Pleased with himself, Wacko Man disappeared in a puff of smoke, teleporting himself next to his siblings.

"Oh! With you here, I guess that plans can start rolling. It'll be... a BLAST! Ha! Kwohohoho!"

The next Robot Master stepped forward. He resembled a living furnance. Fire seemed to rise up wherever he stepped. His face was covered in smog and his left eye was missing, leaving only an empty hole in its spot. Suddenly, he halted and lurched backwards as his hue and eye color morphed from red to navy blue.

"K-Kwooooo!! Ha... Sorry 'bout that. My 'other' has a nasty habit of surfacing at the most _inopportune_ of moments."

"DESIGNATION CODE: WGS-006. CODENAME: BLAST MAN. ROBOT MASTER WHO POSSESSES THE DATA OF CRASH MAN, NAPALM MAN, BURST MAN, AND GRENADE MAN. SUFFERS FROM DISSOCIATIVE IDENTITY DISORDER. ONE PERSONALITY IS CALM AND COLLECTED; THE OTHER, A TRIGGER-HAPPY PSYCHO. VERY DISCOMFORTING FOR AN EXPLOSIVES EXPERT."

"Don't worry," said Blast Man as he pointed to his cranium. "Red is locked up here for the time being. I'm in control."

"STATUS: GREEN. WELL, MINUS THE 'DUAL PERSONALITY' PART."

"Good morning, Cache."

The next Robot Master was a completely black robot with blue streams of energy running along the exterior of his body. Two funnel-esque generators in the shape of quarter-circles ran across his back before curving upwards. An emblem resembling a red eye with bloody tears sat at the middle of his chest. His words gave the impression of two speakers at the same time; a monotone robot and a classy gentleman. His eyes were behind a visor that was illuminated by the bluish glow.

"DESIGNATION CODE: WGS-007. CODENAME: LASER MAN. DATA SAMPLES TAKEN FROM GEMINI MAN AND SEARCH MAN. HIGHLY LOYAL. FOLLOWS ORDERS WITHOUT QUESTION. STATUS: GREEN. YOUR VOICE STABILIZER SEEMS TO BE FLAWED THOUGH."

"You think so?"

"Blah blah BLAH! No one gives a rat's ass! Could ya hurry up so that ya could tell us why ya called us?"

The next Robot Master hopped forward before squatting on his hind legs. Metal claws and paws could be found in place of a normal person's hands and feet. A long mane of reddish-orange hair spiked out from the back of his head, a stark contrast to his jade eyes and violet complexion.

"DESIGNATION CODE: WGS-008. CODENAME: SAVAGE MAN. BASED OFF OF THE DATA OF MAGNET MAN, JUNK MAN, AND SLASH MAN. FERAL. ANIMALISTIC. ADRENALINE JUNKIE. CRAVES THE FEELING OF BATTLE. CANNOT BE PATIENT FOR THE LIFE OF HIM."

"Believe me, the day that I sit still is the day that hell freezes over." Savage Man's eyes narrowed as he rubbed his claws together. Sparks flew from the metal weapons.

"ANALYSIS COMPLETE. MY APOLOGIES FOR THE DELAY."

"It's damn well about time!" yelled Savage Man as he performed a backflip.

"NOW, AS FOR YOUR QUESTION. DR. WILY HAS ASKED THAT ALL OF HIS ROBOT MASTERS ASSEMBLE IN THE GRAND HALL. IT IS A MEETING OF DIRE IMPORTANCE. HOWEVER, BOTH THE DOCTOR AND YOUR OTHER FOUR KIN ARE NOT PRESENT AT THE MOMENT."

Cache and the Robot Masters turned their heads to the sound of the door opening.

"CORRECTION: YOUR BRETHREN ARE NOW PRESENT."

"Hmph. Those clowns are no family of ours."

Savage Man licked the tip of his claws after snarling. Most of the other Robot Masters narrowed their eyes as four more figures approached. Tempest Man had his back turned to the group. Shogun Man sat in deep meditation as he partook in a set of calming breathing exercises. Express Man was the only one who was actually smiling.

"What rotten timing. We just returned from the city, and now we're being called to a family get-together."

The cloak of the Robot Master dropped, revealing a male robot whose body was ash gray. A few portions of his clockwork were exposed, but he seemed to take no notice of this. In the middle of his helmet was a translucent gem containing a sun dial. The gauntlets on his forearms contained similar accessories. The Robot Master grabbed a pocketwatch that was dangling from his right side and flipped it open.

"COMMENCING NEW ANALYSIS."

"Mother f - !" began Savage Man as Flora Woman's vines smothered his mouth, muffling yet another violent explosion of colorful language.

"DESIGNATION CODE: WKS-002. CODENAME: PARADOX MAN. ROBOT MASTER WITH CONTROL OVER THE FLOW OF TIME AS WELL AS CLAIRVOYANCY. DRAWS POWER FROM DATA OF FLASH MAN AND CENTAUR MAN. SPEAKS IN OLD ENGLISH WITH A BRITISH INFLECTION. REASON FOR SUCH MANNERISMS ARE CURRENTLY UNKNOWN. STATUS: GREEN."

"Right on time, I suppose." Paradox Man closed the pocketwatch shut as he kept to himself.

"See! I _knew _that you were putting on an act."

The next Robot Master was a dark-skinned female wearing a provocative spin on Arabian dancewear. Her clothing consisted of a fuchsia headpiece similar in style to that of a veil, a short fuchsia and black top with a pom pom trim that cut off right above her midriff, as well as matching mesh pants and a pair of golden elf-like shoes. Her chestnut hair, tied in a long ponytail that fell down to her lower legs, bounced back and forth behind her shoulders.

"DESIGNATION CODE: WKS-003. CODENAME: MIST WOMAN. ROBOT MASTER WHO ALSO PREFERS TO BE KNOWN AS A 'ROBOT MISTRESS'. POSSESSES THE DATA OF HEAT MAN, SHADOW MAN, AND FLAME MAN. DESIGN'S ORIGINS COME FROM THAT OF FEMALE JINN FROM ISLAMIC CULTURE. USES SEDUCTION TO FULFILL HER DESIRES. FICKLE. EXTREMELY FICKLE. STATUS: GREEN."

"Oh, poor Cache. You're just stunned by my beauty. I do dress to impress, after all."

"OBJECTION: I CANNOT BE IN LOVE IF I DO NOT POSSESS EMOTIONS."

"Impress who? Your reflection in the mirror? I bet that if you were the last woman on the planet, the male population would decide to die out from disgust over their only remaining option."

Mist Woman stuck a tongue out at a male whose body was composed of irregularly shaped gems. The light refracted off of his transparent form, producing an array of colors that were pleasing to the eye. His eyes were nothing more than red, pupilless slits in the form of slightly elongated rectangles.

"DESIGNATION CODE: WKS-004. CODENAME: PRIS MAN. SUBJECT STRUCTURE SUGGESTS DATA TAKEN FROM HARD MAN, CRYSTAL MAN, AND FREEZE MAN. COLD-HEARTED. RARELY SHOWS EMOTIONS BESIDES CHRONIC NEGATIVITY."

"It's called 'realism'."

"Toe-_may_-toe, toe-_mah_-toe."

The last figure was none other than Dark Mega Man himself. He looked as if he were ready to explode with laughter. Dark looked at Pris Man, who only responded with an irate groan.

"What can I say, Pris Man? Third time's the charm." Dark Mega Man gave a sheepish grin.

"DESIGNATION CODE: WKS-001. CODENAME: DARK MEGA MAN. DR. WILY'S THIRD-IN-COMMAND. A CARBON COPY OF THE BLUE BOMBER, MINUS A FEW MINUTE AESTHETICAL CHANGES. EVEN SHARES SOME DATA WITH THE REAL MEGA MAN. AS EXPECTED, LOATHES ALL COMPARISONS TO HIS OTHER. REBELLIOUS. HATES TAKING ORDERS. MOCKS ALMOST ALL SUBORDINATES AND LEADERS. SANITY IS QUESTIONABLE. STATUS: GREEN."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. You can read me like an open book. So what? You're no better. In fact, you're the blandest person in this room! You possess high-tec specs, yet all you do is scan any robot that you see - regardless of how many times you've bumped into them - and float around, speaking as if you were two steps down from a computer prompt. A bowl of Corn Flakes has more personality and intrigue!"

"JOKE ALL YOU WANT TO. IT IS ONLY A DEFENSIVE MECHANISM TO MASK YOUR INFERIORITY COMPLEX."

"Your lips are moving, but all I hear is 'blah blah blah'."

"WELL, I TRIED. EXCUSE ME, BUT I MUST GO AND FETCH THE DOCTOR. I HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL NOT TRY TO DESTROY ONE ANOTHER WHILE I AM GONE."

The group's reply was an incoherent mixture of half-hearted promises and grunts. Cache warped out of the room, leaving behind small clusters of energy and a long period of silence between the two Robot Master factions. Only the sound of Shogun Man's breathing exercises and the sparks produced by Savage Man's claws could be discerned. Taking the initiative, Laser Man broke the ice.

"They say that three's company and four's a crowd, but twelve is a logistical nightmare." He groaned and shook his head. Dark took this gesture as an invitation for more verbal abuse.

"Oh? So you're saying that you _don't_ enjoy our quality family fun time?"

"No," intervened Tempest Man flatly. "Even a blind man could see that us eight detest you four and I'm sure than the warm, fuzzy feelings are mutual."

"Feh," chimed Dark Mega Man and Pris Man in unison.

Another period of silence ensued as individuals broke away from their respective groups.

A silent Pris Man opened his eyes to the sight of Laser Man and shut them once more in response.

"... I'm sorry. Is there something that you want?"

"Your aura."

"Come again?"

"Your aura. A field of subtle, luminous radiation that surrounds your body."

"Sounds like you've been hanging around that two-bit wizard again."

"Not quite. I do have the ability to sense these things, considering that lasers deal with light."

"Your point is?"

"Your aura is a dingy gray. I have a feeling that it'll only negatively influence the rest of the group."

"Good. It's a counterbalance to the vivacious fireball that you call Express Man. He's too bubbly. Probably be the first one to die too."

"What was that?"

"You heard me."

Laser Man immediately positioned one of his hands in front of Pris Man's face. Blue energy began to emit from an incision in his hand.

"You'd better take that back. I don't take lightly to people like _you_ insulting my family."

"Go ahead. Fire. It'll only bounce right off of me. Might blow Express Man to bits _sooner_."

The light in Laser Man's palm dimmed to nothingness. He then grabbed Pris Man by the neck and whispered in his ears.

"I don't care how reflective your armor is. It won't mean anything when you're smashed into a million, unrecognizable pieces by my hand."

"Try me."

Meanwhile, Flora Woman was standing face-to-face with the only other Robot Mistress, Mist Woman. The former was decisively neutral, while the latter had a haughty look on her face.

"Well, well, _well_. If it isn't the goody-two-shoes gardener."

"'Hi' to you too. You know, it seems that every time that I see you, you seem to wear less and less clothing. I wouldn't be surprised if you were naked the next time we met. I guess that some girls get off by being skanks."

Mist Woman held her hand up to her mouth as she stifled a conceited chuckle. "That's some mouth you've got on you."

Flora Woman shrugged. "I guess that it rubs off on you when you're in close proximity to a lady who has promiscuity oozing from her pores."

Mist Woman inched in towards Flora Woman like a predator about to pounce upon its prey. The dryad put her hands up in protest.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"And why not?"

"My plants wouldn't enjoy that very much."

Mist Woman paused. Flora Woman's hair-like vines sprung to life and were beginning to burrow into the jinn's skin.

"Grr... You win this round."

At the same time, Wacko Man and Paradox Man were conducting their usual debates over a plethora of subjects relating to the arcane.

"I'm telling you, Paradox Man, no other magicians can compare to my mastery of sorcery and illusion."

Paradox Man, not as engrossed in the quarrel as his fellow Robot Master was, replied. "Two words. Harry. Houdini."

"That escapist? Sure, he has stage presence, but where was the pizazz?"

Savage Man, Express Man, and Blast Man were also nearby as observers. The former's rage was about to reach its boiling point.

Wacko Man instigated another argument. "But it's obvious that the warping of space provides more benefits than that of the power to control time."

"Au contraire," began Paradox Man.

"For the love of God, will both of you shut the _hell _up?!" interrupted Savage Man. "David Copperfield! Siegfried and Roy! Penn and Teller! Chrono Trigger! Pork! The _other _white meat! An apple a day keeps the doctor away! I'm going to Disney World! Damnit! I'm losing my f***ing mind! I swear to God that if ya both don't shut your damn traps, I'll rip your vocalizers out and shove 'em up your shiny, metal asses! GAH!"

A worried Express Man jumped up to restrain his comrade. "Hey! _Hey_! Make nice."

"I could blow them both to kingdom come if you'd like," suggested Blast Man.

It was only the beginning. Tensions began to flare, and as the enmity increased, so did the decibel level of the conversations. Soon, most of the voices blended together into a chaotic debacle of great magnitude.

"ENOUGH!"

Shogun Man slammed his fist into the ground with enough force to crack open a human skull, leaving a sizable dent in the floor. A mini-earthquake knocked most of the Robot Masters off of their feet. Shogun Man slowly rose to his full height as he addressed his fellow Robot Masters. His tone was soft, but it was clear that his poker face was barely concealing his pent-up anger.

"I can understand that some of you have bad blood with your siblings, but this, _this_ is utterly ridiculous. We are the scions of our father's dream. We are the heralds of a new age. We cannot afford to waste precious time and energy bickering over _trivial_ grievances! Do you think that the doctor wants to see his children destroy each other? We've already lost so much in this war... I see no logic in defiling the memories of our late brothers. Abandon these petty conflicts, lest you want everything to fall apart at the seams. Do I make myself clear?"

All of the Robot Masters except for Dark nodded. Dark began to clap his hands together, mockingly lauding Shogun Man's words.

"Riveting speech, coach. Got any more gamewinners for us?"

"You should know that it is not wise to try my patience, Dark." Shogun Man's eyes narrowed as his hand slowly moved down his waist to grab the hilt of one of his blades.

Dark cracked a smile as he raised his right arm. Blanketed by light, the appendage soon took on the familiar form of an arm cannon.

"Is that supposed to be a threat?" questioned Dark as he pointed the weapon towards the samurai. "'Cause a threat is only as strong as its execution."

"More like a promise." Shogun Man's grip on the handle tightened.

"Be my guest, _samurai_."

The sound of a throat clearing roused the group's attention. "Is there something going on here that I should know about?"

The Robot Masters turned to face Cache and an elderly man with black-tinted glasses, a cane, and a black robe fastened by a skull insignia.

"Lord Wily!" proclaimed Shogun Man as he released his hold on his weapon. Dark followed suit as his arm returned to its default shape. All of the Robot Masters knelt and bowed at the sight of their creator.

"ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF THINGS, AT LEAST YOU DID NOT KILL HIM..."

"Shogun Man, I admire your desire to keep order when I am not around, but please leave the disciplinary actions to me."

"My apologies, sir."

"Four Heavenly Kings, report!"

The ensemble of Paradox Man, Mist Woman, Pris Man, and a begrudging Dark Mega Man saluted.

"How did the attack on the city go?"

"No causalities reported, just as we planned," replied Mist Woman with a small snicker.

"Also on cue was the appearance of Mega Man, who, in typical fashion, proceeded not only to destroy the battalion of Mets and Sniper Joes that were positioned, but the Dune Crawler as well." Paradox Man flipped his pocketwatch closed as his statement ended.

"Hm... that was to be expected. Go on."

The group hesitated for a bit before Paradox Man continued.

"Well, there was an expected variable that popped up."

"And that would be...?"

"Bass."

Wily remained silent for a few minutes as if a lump had formed in his throat.

"How does he fare?"

"At the time, it seems that Bass is working independent of us. He challenged Mega Man almost immediately after he felled the Dune Crawler."

"He lost as usual," added Pris Man in a melancholy tone.

"Right," resumed Paradox Man as he tried to ignore his gloomy brother. "As I was saying, both engaged in combat and sustained critical levels of damage. It appeared as if Bass had the upper hand, but..."

"... What is his current status?"

"We believe him to be dead," declared Mist Woman nervously from behind the backs of Dark Mega Man and Paradox Man.

"Do you have any proof?"

"Er... no, not really." Mist Woman shrunk even further behind her male partners.

"He was left in the trash heap with his wolf friend. It's where he belongs..."

"THAT IS QUITE ENOUGH, PRIS MAN."

"... Bleh."

Dr. Wily grabbed a handful of his hair as he sat in deep contemplation.

"It's a shame that Bass won't be a part of the plan, but there's nothing we can do about it now... My twelve children, assemble!"

All of the Robot Masters rose to their feet and saluted.

"I was careless in not expecting Bass to arrive on the scene. Henceforth, we cannot afford to make any more mistakes. Cache is currently overlooking the final stages of our plan. Guardians, you are to relocate to your designated strongholds. Kings, your job is to hold down the fort here. The operation will begin in one week's time. That is all. Dismissed."

"Sir!"

* * *

"Hey! It looks like he's coming to!"

Mega Man slowly opened his eyes, but abruptly screwed them shut as his still-sensitive receptors were flooded with light. Squinting and gritting his teeth, Mega Man awoke with a groan. He was lying stomach up on top of an operating table. Parts of his armor were scattered on the floor beneath him. Numerous wires were connected to ports found on his exposed cybernetic brain. Roll and Auto were both above him.

"Mega Man, you're ok!" cried Roll as she embraced him.

"You were pretty banged up when Roll found you. I had to patch you up. Good thing that I'm an ace mechanic, huh?" Auto grinned as he twirled a wrench in one hand and a screwdriver in the other.

Roll stepped back as Mega Man sluggishly sat up on the operating table, holding his head in mild pain.

"Ooooh... my head... augh... it feels like Tomahawk Man just lodged an axe in my skull... guh... So... what happened? The last thing I remember was... fighting Bass... in... the..." Mega Man's trail of thought was lost as he began to babble incoherently before yelling at the top of his lungs. "OH NO! THE CITY!"

Mega Man sprung up like a zombie raising from the dead, but he was abruptly forced back upon his makeshift bed by Auto.

"Relax. Your rebooting process isn't completely finished. Another hasty move like that and we might have to start from scratch. Besides, the city's fine and there were no causalities."

His conscience at ease, Mega Man laid back down with a sigh of relief.

"Oh, and you've been out for about a week," Auto added.

Mega Man's eyes popped open. "WHAT?! A WHOLE WEEK?!" shouted the Blue Bomber, his pitch high and hysterical.

Auto's response was cut off by a deafening noise: the sound of the doorway to the lab's basement sliding open. Out from it stepped a man of diminutive nature. His hair was even paler than that of the immaculate white lab coat he wore and his bluish-gray eyes were beginning to lose their sparkle. Scratching his scraggly beard and waiving a smoking pipe in his opposite hand, the elderly man walked towards the group of robots, coughing a few times en route.

"Dr. Light!"

Roll was the first one to greet her creator, the amiable Dr. Thomas Light. Following Roll's example, Rush, Beat, Eddie, and the moss-colored robotic feline known as Tango rushed over to Light's side. With a small laugh, Dr. Light tenderly patted all of his robotic pets on the head and returned Roll's hug.

"What's up, Doc?" joked Auto. "No seriously. How's your pet project coming along?"

"Quite nicely, thanks to the parts that Rock brought in. Unfortunately, I still have a ways to go. The designing is almost complete, but I haven't even began to delve into the A.I. programming and debugging. That being said, I hope to show you all _something_ soon."

Light's attention shifted to his drowsy robotic offspring.

"Ah, Mega Man! So, you're awake. How do you feel?"

"I've definitely felt better. Is it possible for a robot to have a migraine?"

"No," chuckled Light. "That's just a side-effect from the rebooting process."

Mega Man looked down at his left arm. The glove was missing, but his arm felt just like new.

"At least I didn't wake up to discover that I became a robot amputee."

"It might seem that way," declared Auto, "but everything isn't exactly hunky-dory."

"Hm?"

"For starters, when Auto and I began repairs after Roll brought you in, you had sustained critical splash damage. For example, your left arm's firing mechanism sustained permanent injury."

"How bad are we talking?"

"I'd say 'BOOM!! Michael Bay explosion!' bad," stated Auto.

"Oh. That's... reassuring." Mega Man wagged his arm back and forth.

"Auto and I also had to rework and update your auto-repair and weapons systems. While we weren't able to restore your Mega Buster in your left arm, we did balance this out by reinstalling the Mega Arm and Mega Ball into your CPU. I fear that Dr. Wily might be back to his old tricks again, so we took precautionary measures."

A ringing noise sounded off from the monitor that displayed Mega Man's status. Auto unhooked the wires connected to Mega Man's brain as Roll began handing Mega Man his armor.

"Has anything come up yet?" Mega Man slid down off of the operating table, his helmet perched under his arm.

Dr. Light closed his eyes as he took another smoke. "No. But knowing Wily, something will be coming our way soon."

Right as the doctor finished speaking, the entire lab was hit by a series of power surges. Finally, the lights glared brightly and slowly dimmed. All that remained was darkness.

"Auto, check the reserve power supply!"

"Sorry, doc! It looks as if our backup source is drained too!"

The main monitor lit up. Roll gasped in horror as a long-forgotten symbol stretched across the width of the screen - a "W". Soon, the emblem flickered before spreading out into countless smaller "W"s. As the letters dispersed, a figure began to emerge from the background.

"GREETINGS. MY NAME IS CACHE."

* * *

**A/N**: Wait a sec... _12 _Robot Masters? Blasphemy! XP Believe me, Mega Man won't be breaking tradition. It'll make sense once the story actually starts up (darned exposition! :|). Cache (who is_ not _a Robot Master) is based off of a NetNavi of the same name from a JPN-only mobile phone game called _Rockman EXE Phantom of Server_. However, since I don't know what he actually looks like, I used the Copy Bots from _Mega Man Battle Network 6 _and Tabuu (yes, _that_ one) from _Super Smash Bros. Brawl _as a visual model. As for his personality, think a mix of TEC from _Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door _and DC Comics' Red Tornado. I'll let you guys guess where the basis for some of the other Robot Masters came from. This chapter also was meant to flesh out the "sibling rivalry" between the two Robot Master factions. I hope that I made it clear which Robot Masters truly detest their siblings. I _loved _writing for Savage Man and I'm expecting him and Dark Mega Man to be the breakout characters of this fan-fic. A guy can hope, right? XD

The Bass/Proto Man conversations come from Bass' ending in _Mega Man & Bass _(1st exchange) and the joint Proto Man-Bass ending from_ Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters_ (2nd exchange) although the latter was rearranged to take place after _Mega Man & Bass: Challenger from the Future_. Sadly, for all of the Bass fans out there, this is where he leaves the spotlight for a while. Bass _will_ be back a later date though, I assure you. ;)

And we should all know what Auto referred to by "pet project", right? ;)

Oh, and case it wasn't made clear, the last part in Dr. Light's lab takes places a week after the Robot Master meeting. The next chapter (which probably could have been included at the end of this one) will be the last setup (read "filler") chapter, so stayed tuned! :D


End file.
